The front of threats extends to the left and into its own camp for the Barnier government – 11/21/2024 at 12:10

After the RN, the left in turn threatens government censorship if the budget does not go its way, increasing the pressure on Michel Barnier, also weakened internally by the Macronists, including his own Minister of the Economy.

In a column Thursday in Le Monde, the leaders of the New Popular Front warn Michel Barnier that “if he persists in wanting to bypass Parliament and trample on the July 7 vote of the French to impose his budget by 49.3, our parliamentary groups will table a motion of censure.”

The text, aiming to show the unity of the left, is co-signed by Manuel Bompard (LFI), Olivier Faure (PS), Fabien Roussel (PCF), Marine Tondelier (Les Écologues) but also Lucie Castets, always presented as “candidate of the New Popular Front in Matignon”.

A way of reminding us, the day after Marine Le Pen's declarations threatening to vote for censorship “if the purchasing power of the French is reduced”, that the left is the primary opposition force, even if it cannot bring down the government only with the support of the RN.

The left-wing leaders support the budget “profoundly transformed in the Assembly under our leadership” at first reading – but rejected during the session – and which “made it possible to improve the living conditions of the vast majority of French people by resting the effort on only the wealthiest and the largest companies.

Like Marine Le Pen, the parliamentary leaders of the left will be received at Matignon at the beginning of next week but it is unlikely that they will come out satisfied.

– Censorship, and after? –

The possibility of a financial crisis, agitated by the executive in the event of rejection of the budget, just like the call “for stability” launched by Emmanuel Macron since the G20, hardly seems to have any influence on them.

Especially since, according to an Elabe poll, 51% of French people – including 61% of RN voters and 72% of NFP voters – want a motion of censure.

However, the left leaders do not mention in their forum a common strategy after overthrowing Michel Barnier.

Even though Lucie Castets remains their official candidate, Olivier Faure indicated on BFMTV that he does not believe that Emmanuel Macron will call him to Matignon.

If part of the socialists could support a nomination of Bernard Cazeneuve, this would imply an alliance with the central bloc which would divide them and would be rejected by the rest of the NFP. And, in the event of a prolonged crisis, Olivier Faure judges that an early presidential election “would not be a good solution” unlike LFI which is banking on it to impose a candidacy of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Proof that trust is fragile, the socialists are suspected of double-dealing by their partners. “If socialists are missing from the call (on censorship), it would be an extremely negative message,” warned environmentalist Sandrine Rousseau on France info.

– The Macronists outside? –

Michel Barnier also has to deal with the standoff between Macronists and LR within his own coalition, which is unusual in France.

The Minister of the Economy Antoine Armand thus triggered a mini-storm by opposing his Prime Minister on the elimination of reductions in employer contributions – even reduced from four to three billion euros by the Senate – which displease Gabriel Attal, for whom they go against the supply policy sustained since 2017.

If Antoine Armand received the support of his Macronist counterpart from Industry Marc Ferracci, he was tackled on RMC by that of Transport, LR François Durovray, for whom “we must express ourselves as a family, not at the 'outside”.

And Mr. Armand revived speculation about an exit from the Macronist government by saying he was “above all” a member of the “Together for the Republic family” before being “Michel Barnier's minister”.

“We cannot be associated with decisions that are against everything we have supported,” admits a Macronist parliamentarian.