Far-Left M茅lenchon 鈥榠s dreaming鈥� in aim to be French prime minister
He hopes for a big success for his party in June鈥檚 MP elections but will struggle as his supporters are concentrated in just a few urban areas, says a political analyst
Mr M茅lenchon called Mr Macron the 鈥渨orst elected president of the Fifth Republic鈥�
GERARD BOTTINO / Shutterstock
President Macron can pick whoever he wants as prime minister, but it is customary to name someone from the winning party in the June MPs鈥� elections 鈥� and the leader of far-left party La France Insoumise wants to force his hand.
Jean-Luc M茅lenchon, the MP for Bouches-du-Rh么ne since 2017, has called on left-leaning electors to vote for his party in the 茅lections l茅gislatives in an attempt to be the largest party.
Mr M茅lenchon, who has called Mr Macron the 鈥渨orst elected president of the Fifth Republic鈥�, has won increasing support over the years.
Solid results in presidential races
In the 2012 presidential first round, he won 11%; in 2017, he increased this to 18%; and this year, he polled 22% 鈥� just 1% less than Marine Le Pen, who got into the second round with 23.1%.
He is keen to make the most of the results, said political analyst Luc Gras.
鈥淥bviously, he wants to position himself as a possible prime minister, but he鈥檚 dreaming. The president appoints the prime minister, usually from the political bloc with the most MPs. He or she is not directly elected.鈥�
Political analyst Jean Viard said: 鈥淚t is unlikely La France In颅soumise will get a majority of MPs in the house because their supporters are very concentrated in just a few urban areas.鈥�
Macron has adopted some ideas
Mr M茅lenchon has already had at least some effect on Mr Macron鈥檚 policies.
To woo his voters, he has adopted some of his policies: promising to cap excessive pay rises for CEOs, strengthening his environmental policy, and using Mr M茅l颅enchon鈥檚 planification 茅cologique idea to put the prime minister in charge of piloting measures for the environment.
Aimed at putting ecological change at the heart of government, this would cover energy, investments, finance, construction, planning, transport, biodiversity, agriculture, food supplies, and management of water and forests.
However, Mr M茅lenchon might have to be content with that for now.
Internal divisions for Macron鈥檚 party
鈥淗aving elected Macron president, it is probable that people will confirm their choice by electing his MPs to the house in June,鈥� said Mr Gras.
鈥淭hat may well pose its own problems. The collapse of Les R茅pu颅blicains and Le Parti Socialiste, along with the subsequent leaching of their MPs towards LREM, could leave Mr Macron without an effective opposition.
鈥淚f this should happen, as is looking probable, LREM could find itself riven by internal divisions, which would severely weaken it and prevent decisive government.鈥�
Related articles
Jean-Luc M茅lenchon calls on France to elect him as prime minister
鈥榃hen I am president鈥�: The key policies of final 12 French candidates
France鈥檚 far-left holds election rally with 鈥榮mell and visual effects鈥�
