AnalyseDuring the first round, the left alliance tied the game, in number of votes, with the presidential coalition. But she has low vote reserves for the second round.
An advantage for the first round of an election can become a difficulty in the second. This is the whole paradox that Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his partners in the New People’s Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), which brings together La France insoumise (LFI), the Socialist Party (PS), the French Communist Party (PCF) will have to resolve ) and Europe Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV). Sunday, June 12 in the evening, the left alliance was equal, in number of votes, with the presidential coalition Together! (25.81% of the vote against 26.10% for Nupes). However, they will have to face an unprecedented situation: the risk of seeing a kind of cordon sanitaire rise against them, an “anti-Mélenchon front”.
The slogan of the Nupes campaign, “Melenchon Prime Minister”, was one of the driving forces behind the vote for the left-wing candidates. This personalization of the legislative elections was perceived by many voters as the possibility of winning “the third round” of the presidential election and to impose cohabitation on Emmanuel Macron. But it is also a major argument for the presidential majority, which continues to enumerate the risks that such a situation would entail, according to it. A way for the macronists to obtain the postponement of the votes of the right in their favor to “block” the Nupes, in the many duels which oppose them in the second round. A strategy that looks exactly like what is put in place against the far right of the National Rally (RN).
No general voting instructions
The Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, was not mistaken: in her speech just after the announcement of the results, she dismissed the Nupes and the RN back to back. Without naming them, she hammered home that, “facing the extremes”the presidential majority “will not yield anything”, “neither one way nor the other”. And to list a series of themes which are as many spades addressed to the left and to environmentalists.
But more particularly to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, often presented by his opponents as an anti-European, admirer of Russian President Vladimir Poutine and former Venezuelan head of state Hugo Chavez: “National sovereignty is not a break with Europe, a fascination with authoritarian regimes and alignment with Russia, but a strong nation within a more independent Europe. » She adds : “The Republic is not about questioning our institutions and insulting our police forces. » A reference to the statements of Mr. Mélenchon, who had tweeted « the police tue » after the death of the passenger of a car whose driver had refused to obey a control.
You have 46.35% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.