Unclear Political Landscape in France: Macron's Potential Alliances and Challenges

A report by Mario Doueiri, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine


The political scene in France is quite unclear and won't become clear anytime soon. President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party, which came in third place in the first round of elections, moved up to second place in the second round. Could this mean ruling with a parliamentary majority? To achieve a majority, he needs to include parties from the left-wing coalition, essentially breaking it apart.

So far, the left-wing coalition remains cohesive. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the La France Insoumise party, is acting as the leader of the left coalition. However, his party's attempt to dominate the left-wing voice within the coalition with a "me or no one" policy has annoyed other parties, particularly the Socialists and the Greens, who are considered center-left. Even within the left, voices have started to rise against Mélenchon, whom some describe as a dictator.

Will this internal conflict open the door for some left-wing parties to align with President Macron's bloc? Sources from Macron's bloc claim that some centrist-left parties have already reached out, expressing interest in joining their political alliance. Macron has responded positively to this, viewing it as a way to counter the far-right and stay in power.

If this alignment happens, it wouldn't be the first time the French president has joined forces with the center-left. There have been numerous issues they've agreed on and many that have divided them, such as environmental issues with the Greens and economic and tax issues with the Socialists. However, the center and center-left initially unite against extremism, whether from the right or the left.