POLITICS – The left is looking for the right word. Should we talk about “denial” of the result of the ballot boxes, of “democratic hold-up” or of “betrayal of the republican front” ? The appointment of Michel Barnier to Matignon, announced this Thursday, September 5 by the Élysée, greatly annoys the partners of the New Popular Front, convinced that it is around them and their candidate Lucie Castets that the new government should be formed.
Lucie Castets assures that she only worked voluntarily for the New Popular Front
“The election was stolen from the French people, warns Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who improvised a solemn declaration around 1:30 p.m. The Prime Minister is appointed with the permission and perhaps the suggestion of the National Rally. It is almost a government of Mr. Macron and Mrs. Le Pen.”
“Emmanuel Macron is making a serious mistake, says PS MP Arthur Delaporte. Elected by the Republican Front, he gave in to blackmail from the RN and the hard right. The criticism of the Republican front being floundering is often heard on the left: Michel Barnier had in fact refused, between the two rounds of the legislative elections, to call for a blockade of the extreme right, preferring to send the RN and LFI back-to-back. “Is it for these reasons that he would be nominated as an acceptable choice for the National Rally?”asks the former national secretary of EE-LV David Cormand.
“Protecting the privileged”
“Barnier’s nomination is possible because Macron considers the RN more acceptable than LFI”also attacks MP Sandrine Rousseau. In the same vein, her colleague Benjamin Lucas (Génération.s) believes that “To appoint someone who has not called for a stand against the extreme right is to insult the French people”. For his part, the Insoumis Rodrigo Arenas goes even further, considering that the arrival of Michel Barnier at Matignon is the sign that “Marine Le Pen has just taken power”.
Another criticism of Michel Barnier: his lack of representativeness and political weight. In the LR primary for the 2022 presidential election, he came fourth. The designated candidate, Valérie Pécresse, ultimately only won 4.7% of the vote, giving her political family a historic rout. In the National Assembly, LR represents only 8% of the seats. “The bullshit is total”PCF senator Ian Brossat gets annoyed, speaking not of cohabitation but of a « colocation ». “By appointing Michel Barnier, Emmanuel Macron is only seeking to protect the privileged, his pension reform and his power”believes ex-LFI MP Clémentine Autain.
“In all democracies in the world, it is the coalition that comes out on top that is called upon to form a government. Never the party that lost the election.”also recalls the First Secretary of the PS Olivier Faure, who castigates a choice “dramatic” et ” dangerous “.
There is at least one question that is beyond doubt: the New Popular Front will not hesitate to overthrow the government formed by Michel Bernier. LFI MP Aurélien Taché confided to HuffPost last week: ” There are 45 of them, they came 4th in the legislative elections, count on us to censor them the second they arrive.”
Also see on Le HuffPost :
Consulted for the name of the Prime Minister, the RN savors having become “arbiter”
Jean-Christophe Cambadélis convicted in the case of embezzlement of public funds
