San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Support surges for coalition of hard-left leader
PARIS — Leftist parties that had nearly disappeared from the French political landscape have grown wings in the runup to Sunday’s legislative elections and now threaten to weaken President Emmanuel Macron and his hopes of slamdunking his agenda through parliament.
An alliance of leftist parties cobbled together by hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon has soared in polls, and the campaign poster “Melenchon Prime Minister” no longer draws chuckles from opponents.
Commentators have yet to agree on how to pronounce Nupes, the French acronym for the alliance, the New Popular Ecological and Social Union.
Melenchon simply calls it the Popular Union. It combines his party, La France Insoumise (France Unbowed), with Socialists, Communists and Greens.
“It is amazing, so inspiring and motivating. All of the left wing is in line behind Melenchon,” said Michael Gorre, a 45-year-old computer scientist attending a recent Paris rally by the coalition. “It feels good to have someone who talks about concrete things.”
Macron, a centrist, has made clear that it is he alone who names the prime minister, although in practice his choice is governed by the outcome of the election, which will not be clear until the second round on June 19. So if Nupes wins a majority, Macron would probably pick someone from the coalition, but it might not be
French leftist leader Jean-Luc Melenchon rallies supporters Friday in Marseille. Elections are being held Sunday to select members of the National Assembly with a runoff on June 19.
Melenchon.
Macron won a second mandate in April’s presidential elections and is now looking for an absolute majority — 289 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, the lower house — to swiftly pass legislation. Among laws on his agenda is his controversial decision to raise the retirement age from 62 to 65. Melenchon, meanwhile, wants to lower it to 60.
The audacious bid by Melenchon to be named head of government is symptomatic of France’s shattered political landscape. Traditional mainstream parties like the Socialists and the conservative-right Republicans slid off voters’ radar following losses in previous elections. Three blocs emerged: Melenchon’s hard left, Marine Le Pen’s far right and the centrists of Macron,
who warn against “the extremes.”
Melenchon’s alliance is jockeying for the lead with Macron’s centrists in polls. Nupes was on top in one poll last week, although within the margin of error. Le Pen, who lost to Macron in the presidential runoff, was third.