Chaos in
France after Macron refuses to name prime minister from leftwing coalition
More talks
to take place on Tuesday as president attempts to find a PM who can command
cross-party support
Kim Willsher
in Paris
Mon 26 Aug
2024 16.00 EDT
France has
been plunged into further political chaos after Emmanuel Macron refused to name
a prime minister from the leftwing coalition that won the most parliamentary
seats in the snap election last month.
The
president had hoped consultations would break the political deadlock caused by
the election that left the Assemblée Nationale divided into three roughly equal
blocks – left, centre and far right – none of which has a majority of seats.
After two
days of talks with party and parliamentary leaders to break the stalemate and
allow him to name a prime minister with cross-party support, Macron’s decision
not to choose the New Popular Front’s candidate was met with anger and threats
of impeachment.
In a
statement released on Monday evening, the Elysée described the discussions on
Friday and during the day as “fair, sincere and useful” but said they had
failed to result in a workable solution.
A government
formed by the leftwing alliance the New Popular Front (NFP) – comprising France
Unbowed (LFI), the Socialist party (PS), the Greens (EELV) and the Communist
party (PCF) – would lead to an immediate vote of no confidence and a collapse
of the government, Macron said explaining his decision.
“Such a
government would immediately have a majority of more than 350 MPs against it,
effectively preventing it from acting,” Macron added. “In view of the opinions
expressed by the political leaders consulted, the institutional stability of
our country means that this option should not be pursued.”
Macron
announced another round of consultations with party leaders and veteran
politicians to start on Tuesday.
“At this
unprecedented time in the Fifth Republic, when the expectations of the French
people are high, the head of state calls on all political leaders to rise to
the occasion by demonstrating a spirit of responsibility,” the statement read.
The
president added: “My responsibility is to ensure that the country is neither
blocked nor weakened.”
After the
announcement, the NFP said it would not take part in further talks unless to
discuss it forming a government. The ad hoc leftwing alliance saw off the
threat of the far-right National Rally (RN) in the second round of the July
legislative election. The coalition gained the most seats in the 577-seat
assembly, and has said any new prime minister should come from its ranks.
NFP has put
forward Lucie Castets, a 37-year-old economist and director of financial
affairs at Paris City Hall, as its candidate. After Monday’s announcement,
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the LFI president, accused Macron of creating an
“exceptionally serious situation”.
“The popular
and political response must be swift and firm,” Mélenchon said. LFI called for
demonstrations urging the president to “respect democracy” and said it would
present a motion of impeachment of Macron.
“The
president of the republic does not recognise the result of universal suffrage,
which placed the New Popular Front at the top of the polls,” it said in a
statement.
“He refuses
to appoint Lucie Castets as prime minister. Under these conditions, the motion
of impeachment will be presented by LFI MPs. Any proposal for a prime minister
other than Lucie Castets will be subject to a motion of censure.”
Marine
Tondelier, secretary general of the Greens, said the president’s action was “a
disgrace” and “dangerous democratic irresponsibility”.
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