“We take the same ones and start again, and practically the worst”sighs Ouardia, left-wing voter, in front of the town hall of Montreuil, in Seine-Saint-Denis, Monday December 23, after the announcement of the composition of François Bayrou's government. The Prime Minister slipped a few names of former socialists into his team, such as Manuel Valls, former Prime Minister of François Hollande, now Minister of Overseas Territories, or even François Rebsamen, Minister of Labor in 2014 and 2015, appointed Minister of 'Development territory and decentralization. For OuardiaManuel Valls “has practically never been a socialist and he is less and less so”. “He came in through the window.”comments another resident of the town.
Manuel Valls is back in French politics after failing to take the Barcelona mayoralty in 2019 and being convicted of illicit financing of his campaign. He then missed the election in the fifth constituency of French people living abroad while he was nominated by La République en Marche for the 2022 legislative elections. “It’s not good news, it hurts”estimates Frédéric, another left-wing voter met in Montreuil. “We would have wanted left-wing people, but he is not a left-wing personality”he emphasizes.
A few meters away, at the exit of the cinema, Samuel discovers the new government casting on his phone. “It’s the return of the living dead, it’s the necromancy of the Fifth Republic”he is indignant. “It’s shit in all the French Overseas Territories and they’re bringing out Manuel Valls, it’s not possible”he continues, wondering if the former Prime Minister will serve as “fusible” and questioning the relevance of “put someone that everyone hates in a place where something should have been done”.
“No one on the left who holds their own can agree to join a government like that.”
at franceinfo
Right next to Samuel, Eve nods her head. She would have liked a “policy of rupture”more “knows very well that Macron does not want a policy of rupture at all”. According to her, “the only people who could agree to join a government like that would not engage in a real policy of rupture”.
Other supporters of the left worry about the effect such a casting could have. “To advance the National Rally, it’s perfect”quips Stéphane. “It’s a bit of a careerist’s ball, so it’s a shame, because it completely discredits politics”he adds. This new government is not convincing and most of these left-wing voters hope to see it overthrown once again, like the Barnier government, censored on Wednesday December 4. The leader of La France insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has already warned: “This government has only one future : censorship.”
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