The new French government is facing fierce resistance just days after conservative Michel Barnier was appointed prime minister by President Emmanuel Macron. Leaders of the leftist New Popular Front (NFP) have pledged to “do everything” to topple Barnier’s administration, marking a significant escalation in France’s political crisis.
Prime Minister Barnier, a former European Union Brexit negotiator and member of the center-right Les Republicans party, was installed by Macron after July's snap elections, where the NFP coalition won the most seats but failed to secure an outright majority. Macron’s choice of Barnier to lead the government has been met with outrage from the far-left, as they believe the prime minister should reflect the outcome of the elections and the plurality won by the leftist alliance.
#RaceToPower | France to get new government
PM Michel Barnier says he will form a government 'next week'@AnanyaDutta97 tells you more
Watch more on https://t.co/dm7SyC0z2e pic.twitter.com/PZdvl92m2o
— WION (@WIONews) September 12, 2024
Benjamin Lucas, a lawmaker from the NFP, said the alliance, composed of socialists, communists, greens, and the hard-left France Insoumise, will pursue all available avenues to bring down the government. Despite Barnier’s attempts to form a “plural” cabinet and include left-wing politicians, prominent leaders like Olivier Faure of the Socialist Party and Fabien Roussel of the French Communist Party have refused to even meet with him.
The NFP, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s La France Insoumise, has announced plans to introduce a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly. However, the coalition's 180 seats fall far short of the 289 needed to pass such a motion. The left-wing bloc would need to forge an unlikely alliance with the far-right National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen, which has 142 seats, to succeed. Historically, collaboration between these political extremes has proven elusive.
Romaric Godin, The Gravedigger "The Barnier government is yet to be built, but two of its political characteristics have already been made clear: a commitment to austerity and an obsession with immigration." https://t.co/qOnMVa20ML via @newleftreview
— Ernst Biersack (@BiersackErnst) September 12, 2024
The far-left protests have gained significant momentum, with over 100,000 people taking to the streets in Paris alone, denouncing what they describe as a “coup” by Macron. Many see Barnier's appointment as a denial of democratic principles, with the NFP accusing Macron of ignoring the election results in favor of propping up a right-wing government.
The dissatisfaction with Macron’s presidency has long been simmering, particularly following his controversial pension reform, which raised the retirement age and was passed without a parliamentary vote under Article 49.3 of the French Constitution. Many of those who supported the NFP in the July elections did so in part because of its opposition to these reforms, and Barnier’s selection is viewed as a continuation of Macron's unpopular policies.
Barnier’s administration, meanwhile, faces mounting challenges beyond left-wing opposition. The country is grappling with rising public debt, surging immigration, and increasing concerns about Islamist terrorism. These issues are likely to define Barnier’s premiership as he navigates the fractured political landscape. While Barnier has historically supported stronger restrictions on immigration, it remains unclear if he will be able to unify the diverse factions within the French parliament.
As of now, the likelihood of the NFP successfully bringing down Barnier’s government seems slim. Despite their claims of democratic legitimacy, the leftist bloc does not have the numbers on its own. Furthermore, the far-right National Rally has indicated that while it opposes Barnier’s appointment, it will not necessarily align with the left to bring down the government. This makes the prospect of a successful no-confidence vote highly improbable.
