France: Leftists Threaten Distrust of New Government
The left-wing coalition called the new government “illegitimate” and exaggeratedly “right-oriented” compared to the July 2024 polls
The leftist New Popular Front (FNP) coalition, which won France’s legislative elections in July, beat Together, President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition, and the Lepenists of Rassemblement Nationale. The French far right has sharply criticized the composition of Michel Barnier’s new government, deeming it “illegitimate” and too right-wing-oriented compared to the will of the French people “clearly expressed in the vote.”
The French left disagrees that the Republicans – Barnier’s party – having come in fourth place, “now have some important ministries, including the interior ministries, entrusted to the ultraconservative Bruno Retailleau.”
According to Socialist Secretary Olivier Faure, “the vote of no confidence, which was also strongly supported by former French President François Hollande, could be introduced by the Left immediately after the presentation of the general policy that Prime Minister Barnier will have to outline in his October 1 speech to the National Assembly.”
One of Barnier’s most pressing concerns is the rapid unveiling of a fiscal package through 2025 that will focus on repairing France’s public finance deficit. And immediately after the presentation of the new French government, the new prime minister said in an interview on Sunday evening (September 22) with France 2 television channel that he wanted primarily to ask the wealthiest to bear the brunt of this solidarity effort: “I don’t want to further tax all the French, who pay more taxes than all their European partners. Not on the humblest people, not on those who work, not on the middle class,” said the 72-year-old prime minister and former European Union commissioner, specifying that “in an attempt to rebuild France’s public finances, it is possible that in this effort, at the national level, we will have to ensure the participation of the richest people.”
Barnier concluded by recalling that “the majority of French debt is issued on international, external markets,” and in this context “confidence in France must be maintained.”
