Nearly a week after the left-wing coalition New Popular Front (NPF) emerged victorious in the French parliamentary elections, the nation is still awaiting the appointment of a new prime minister. The leftist parties comprising the NPF have been unable to reach a consensus on their bloc’s candidate for the prime ministership, with infighting between the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) and the Socialist Party being the main obstacle. The LFI secured the most seats, 78, while the Socialists came in second with 65. The LFI has proposed veteran politician Huguette Bello from Reunion for the prime minister post, but the Socialists have countered with their leader, Olivier Faure. Bello has garnered support from the NPF’s Communist Party and the Green Party, according to Le Monde newspaper.
Despite the LFI emerging as the single-largest party, their leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon is a highly controversial figure, drawing significant opposition within his own party and the coalition. Though there were initial indications of his potential candidacy, strong pushback from within led to the party instead proposing Bello. Mélenchon has promoted Bello as the “solution” to France’s political deadlock, emphasizing that she does not carry his baggage. Mélenchon has been accused of antisemitism and a perceived soft stance on Russia. France 24 reported that he has presented Bello as an “anti-racist feminist”.
Meanwhile, the Socialists have championed Faure, emphasizing that he is the only coalition leader who could not be rejected by French President Emmanuel Macron. According to Le Monde, the French political system necessitates the president appointing the prime minister, who is then approved by parliament. This signifies that the prime minister will come from the party or bloc holding parliamentary control, but the president retains influence over the final appointment. As things stand, outgoing PM Gabriel Attal from Macron’s centrist bloc is serving as the caretaker prime minister.
Further complicating the selection process, a faction within LFI remains steadfast in their support for Mélenchon’s candidacy, according to reports. The list of potential prime ministers is expanding rather than shrinking. Le Monde reported that the question of candidacy initially narrowed down to Faure or Bello by Thursday. However, Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel also put forth his own name. With the Green Party and Communist Party growing weary of the infighting, they proposed two additional names. The Greens suggested former party leader and ex-housing minister Cécile Duflot, while the Communists floated the name of Christophe Robert, head of the Fondation Abbé Pierre charity.
Earlier this week, the NPF had declared their intention to name their prime ministerial candidate this week. However, the current lack of consensus suggests that the timeline may slip.
