after the censorship refused by the socialists, is this the end of the NFP?

The New Popular Front has been navigating troubled waters since the PS's refusal to vote on the motion of censure tabled by La France insoumise on January 16. In Center-Val de Loire, if they recognize the differences between the parties, the left-wing deputies prefer to think that the union will survive.

The debate comes up almost every week: is the New Popular Front on the verge of collapse? Will the union of the left collapse? This time, there seems to be no exaggeration in saying that “it's not going well“, as Charles Fournier concedes.

Environmentalist deputy for Tours, he voted, Thursday January 16, for the motion of censure tabled by La France insoumise, just like his environmentalist colleague from Loiret, Emmanuel Duplessy. And this despite negotiations in previous weeks, to try to obtain concessions from François Bayrou and his government. The communists also participated in the discussions, and voted for censorship (like the deputy for Cher, Nicolas Sansu). The socialists also participated in the discussions, and the vast majority (58 out of 66) did not vote for censure. Ultimately, the motion was not adopted, and the government did not waver.

A “treason“from the PS, castigated the leader of the rebels, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, this Sunday.”The unity movement is us“, he continued, guest on the show “Le Grand Jury RTL/Le Figaro”, adding that, for him, “the Socialist Party is no longer a partner“. Only “an ally, and still of circumstance“. Facing him, François Hollande congratulated himself, in The Tribunethat the PS has assumed a desire to “compromise“, criticizing “the posture of LFI whose only perspective is to block institutional life and provoke a presidential election“.

In short, the union had not been so disunited for a long time. From there to recording the return of the two irreconcilable lefts? In Center-Val de Loire, NFP parliamentarians do not believe it. “The quarrels are very much at the level of devicesassure Charles Fournier. There are still plenty of people who like each other, and can still work together.“For him, the sequence”caricatures the links within the NFP“. Because, if he “does not share the position of the PS of not having voted for censorship“, he said “respect their choice” :

In the compromises made by François Bayrou, the socialists had to see the glass half full. I saw it almost empty. But they haven't yet voted on the budget, so I don't see it as a betrayal yet.

Charles Fournier, deputy The Ecologists of Indre-et-Loire

Aware of the great tensions which fracture the NFP more than ever, the environmentalist deputy maintains that the union of the left is “an imperative“, without which “there will be no favorable outcome“in the elections. He thus regrets”that a certain part of the PS is trying to make LFI the black part of the NFP“, just as much as he”does not share the invectives of LFI either, which feels betrayed“.

There will be other disagreements. We cannot record the death of the New Popular Front every time.

Charles Fournier, deputy The Ecologists of Indre-et-Loire

Laurent Baumel, socialist deputy for Indre-et-Loire, seems to share this analysis. If he does not deny that “this divergence has consequences on our unity“, he recalls that “the New Popular Front is not a party“, more “a coalition“full of diversity of opinions.

And according to him, these diversities are more about strategy than substance. “It is not because we have strategic differences on censorship and on the continuation of the legislature that the basic convergences on ecology, social issues and the economy disappear.“, he maintains. “The NFP program still exists, it's still the bottom line“, agrees Charles Fournier.

Moreover, within the socialist group, eight deputies voted for the motion of censure tabled by LFI. Laurent Baumel followed the group instructions well, but claims to have “rather advocated for censorship“with his colleagues. A line that he defends after having noted that the concessions made by François Bayrou were perhaps not “sufficient“.

Since then, the deputy fears “that the PS is once again the object of mistrust“, and does not find “not obvious“of having to justify to left-wing voters not having censored a government in which Bruno Retailleau is a minister. That said, the deputy observes that”many voters are asking us for stability“, and asserts “understand the decision not to censor“.

Also a member of the PS leadership and close to Olivier Faure, the first secretary, Laurent Baumel takes a dim view of the recovery of this PS-LFI divergence by François Hollande. The former President of the Republic prides himself on having been one of the architects of this agreement with François Bayrou, and seems to want to regain control of Olivier Faure, whose alliance strategy with La France insoumise he regularly criticizes. .

François Hollande is trying to assert leadership over the socialist family. It's a problem. I have been working around Olivier Faure for eight years to try to get rid of the image left by the Hollande five-year term. So to say that he gives the line, that he sets the strategy, that's false, and that's a problem.

Laurent Baumel, socialist deputy for Indre-et-Loire

Car, “if tomorrow the PS is perceived as being “Dutchized” again, it will be more complicated to build a strategy for uniting the left, even without Mélenchon“. And Laurent Baumel is well placed to know this, he who was a negotiator for the PS during the discussions leading to the creation of the Nupes in 2022, then the NFP in 2024. While a new congress of the PS, during from which the party will choose a first secretary, the deputy for Indre-et-Loire promises to “do not remain inert“To remain at the head of the party.”a new generation who exercised their right to inventory“.

These divisions within the Socialist Party, the second largest group in the NFP in terms of the number of deputies, worries Charles Fournier. “Not used to commenting on what is happening in other parties“, he says he hopes that “the unified vision triumphs“. “Let us combine our strengths. If we don't do it, we will be highly criticized.“

It remains to be seen what this cracked NFP will become in the coming weeks, and particularly during the budget discussions. On the subject of pensions, Jean-Luc Mélenchon describes it as “rotten combination“the concessions accepted by the PS. Or the opening of new discussions with certain unions and social partners.”We have been mandated to repeal retirement at 64, period“, launched the rebellious leader on RTL and Le Figaro. Seeing in these future discussions of “the showoff“. “Medef will never accept.“

Laurent Baumel is well aware of the challenge posed to the Socialist Party. “Either we set the bar of requirements very high, we get nothing and we censor. Either we set it very low, we don't vote for censorship, but it will be perceived…“He does not finish his sentence. The differences are perhaps now as strong between the PS and La France insoumise as between the two fringes of the PS.”I'm worried“, concedes the MP.

Laurent Baumel and Charles Fournier promise, in any case, to get back to work with a view to the budget. “We will make proposals, as we have always donesupports the elected environmentalist. Without naivety, and knowing that people will try to do it to us in reverse.” More “in a spirit of discussion“.

Examination of the next finance law has resumed, with the Senate due to vote on the text this Thursday, January 23. Before the bill returns to the National Assembly.