Demonstrations were held on Sunday evening at the call of left-wing parties in several cities in France, including Place la République in Paris. On the activists’ side, shame over the results is mixed with hope for the second round.
It was an emotional time yesterday in Paris, when left-wing supporters joined the leaders of the New Popular Front (NFP) at Place de la République during the rally that followed the announcement of the results of the early legislative elections.
A gathering that turned into a massive mobilization against the extreme right.
Sunday evening, the left-wing coalition came in second position in the first round, behind the National Rally (RN). Results which caused a certain astonishment among activists.
“I am depressed”confides Eugénie, a young 22-year-old Parisian. “I think I’m going to cry. It was either do this [venir manifester]or stay at home and cry. I feel a little ashamed.” A feeling shared by other protesters who decided to join the movement after the results.
Ahead, other supporters of La France Insoumise (LFI) had gathered earlier in the evening to watch the election results. Some were expecting this configuration from the ballot boxes, and say they are now focusing on the second round of the elections, which will be held on July 7.
“I’m scared of what can happen in a week,” says Jeroen Atputharajah, a 21-year-old activist and former local LFI candidate in the Paris suburbs. “But I am combative. We have a week left to catch up, and it is not out of reach”declared to Euronews.
Eyes on the second round
Tara Varma, visiting scholar at the Brookings Institution and expert on French politics, judges the results “satisfactory” for the left-wing coalition, which nevertheless remains well behind the extreme right.
“The objective of the left coalition was to get ahead of the RN, but this has not been the case until now”she says.
“It’s not about how we catch up in the first round. It’s about what happens in the middle of those two rounds.”estimates Sarah Legrain, candidate elected under the NFP banner this Sunday, in her Parisian constituency.
“I think that mobilization and [forte] participation shows that there are many people who [se joignent au] vote”she continues, “people from disadvantaged neighborhoods and young people… And they are the ones who will determine the result of the second round, and I tell them: give a majority to the new Popular Front.”
The left-wing coalition parties immediately called for a “republican front” against the far right, declaring that they would withdraw the candidates who came in third place in the second round, in the case of triangular elections involving an RN candidate. .
It remains to be seen what could happen to the Macronist candidates, who came third on the podium in many constituencies. And the choice of centrist voters, for whom Jean-Luc Mélenchon remains a foil.
In this case, any speculation about the reserves of votes seems particularly uncertain. And the presidential coalition, which has seen many personal divisions play out since the dissolution, seems to be acting in a scattered order.
If the Elysée called for a “republican front”, certain ministers, like Aurore Bergé, called on voters not to vote for either the RN or the LFI, putting the two political parties back to back.
