Stalemate in New Popular Front
No white smoke at the top of the New Popular Front (NFP) on Saturday, July 13 in the morning, but a list of names that keeps growing. Since the second round of legislative elections, the left-wing alliance has been stuck in endless discussions, unable to agree on the choice of a prime minister, providing fodder for their opponents from the right and the presidential camp.
The Fight for Prime Minister
At the heart of the saga is the standoff between the Socialists, who want to impose their leader, Olivier Faure, the only one in their eyes that Emmanuel Macron cannot refuse, and the “unbowed,” who claim Matignon for one of their own, perhaps Jean-Luc Mélenchon. The French Unbowed (LFI) party argues they have the largest number of deputies in the National Assembly.
New Contenders Emerge
The equation seemed definitively posed on Thursday, July 11, between Olivier Faure and Jean-Luc Mélenchon until Friday, July 12. It was then discovered that the French Communist Party (PCF) officially supports the candidacy of Huguette Bello, president of the Regional Council of Réunion, a former member of the Réunion PCF.
Under-the-Radar Moves
In the quiet of the night between Wednesday, July 10, and Thursday, July 11, Fabien Roussel put forward Bello’s name, as discussions stalled and some bet on their failure. The Communist party leader and the Greens’ leader Marine Tondelier grew tired of the LFI-Socialist quarrels.
Unifying Strategy
Fabien Roussel and Marine Tondelier proposed names like Cécile Duflot and Christophe Robert, and eventually settled on Huguette Bello. A candidacy from Bello could appease communist members, maintain their standing in parliament, and possibly prevent a mass exodus to the LFI group.
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