France is set to form a new government following Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s resignation, with President Emmanuel Macron promising swift action. Macron criticized both extreme left and right factions while acknowledging the need for collaboration with centrist left parties. Olivier Faure of the Socialist Party signaled a willingness to negotiate with Macron’s camp. However, ideological divides persist, and Macron remains committed to pension reforms, complicating potential alliances. The left coalition’s influence appears limited, lacking a governing majority.
France is poised to establish a new government without the prolonged delays of the past. This assurance came from President Emmanuel Macron during a national address on Thursday evening, shortly after the resignation of Prime Minister Michel Barnier at the Élysée Palace.
Macron’s speech was unusually brief, clocking in at just ten minutes, and he appeared somewhat downcast. He emphasized that he had no reason to resign, asserting his commitment to serve out his term until 2027. The president promised to appoint a new Prime Minister “in the coming days.”
The Future of the Left Coalition
The question remains: who will take on the role of the new Prime Minister? Macron notably criticized “left-extremist and right-extremist factions” for their “anti-republican” attitudes, possibly alluding to parties like La France Insoumise (Unyielding France) and Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement national (RN). He also called out the Socialists, Communists, and Greens, who form the left-wing alliance known as Nouveau Front populaire, labeling them “accomplices” in Barnier’s downfall.
Despite this, Macron can no longer overlook the more centrist left factions. On Friday, Olivier Faure, the First Secretary of the Socialist Party, expressed a willingness to collaborate with liberal and conservative parties. He indicated a desire for negotiations with Macron’s camp and the right-wing Républicains to form a new government, emphasizing the need for “mutual concessions.” This shift is significant, given that the Parti Socialiste had previously dismissed the idea of coalition outside the New Popular Front after the summer parliamentary elections.
During those elections, the left seemed to gain the upper hand, securing more seats than any other faction in the runoff on July 7. This success was attributed to a united front against Le Pen’s party, with agreements to field a single candidate in constituencies where the RN was leading, ultimately preventing a victory for Le Pen. However, the New Popular Front did not achieve an outright majority.
Currently, the left alliance exists largely on paper. Faure and the Socialists have faced challenges in justifying their partnership with La France Insoumise, as there have always been ideological rifts between the more state-oriented Socialist Party and the revolutionary elements within the Unyielding France party. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, their leader, has called for Macron’s immediate resignation following Barnier’s exit, a demand that Faure has publicly rejected, seeking to avoid further chaos. Many in the Socialist Party share similar sentiments, with some even voting against the no-confidence motion due to concerns about exacerbating the crisis. The left block has branded itself as a “bulwark against the extreme right.”
Macron’s Pension Reform Goals
With Faure reaching out to the center-right, French political dynamics are shifting. Gabriel Attal, Macron’s former Prime Minister, had previously suggested a new republican pact excluding the more extreme elements. However, as soon as Faure departed the Élysée, criticism arose. Bruno Retailleau, the acting Interior Minister from the conservative wing, commented that he could not find common ground with the left after their alliance with La France Insoumise.
Mélenchon criticized Faure for betraying the New Popular Front’s principles, while the leader of the French Greens, Sandrine Rousseau, urged Socialists not to lose sight of their leftist ideals.
The New Popular Front’s agenda frequently opposes Macron’s policies, advocating for wealth redistribution, the repeal of pension reforms, and the recognition of a Palestinian state. Nevertheless, Macron remains steadfast in his commitment to pension reforms, which contributes to his reluctance to appoint a left-wing Prime Minister.
Even if centrists, liberals, conservatives, and Socialists were to collaborate—a scenario that seems unlikely—it would still fall short of a governing majority, as their combined seats would total only 276, short of the 288 needed for an absolute majority. One must be quite optimistic to believe in Macron’s promise of a swift government formation.