French left ‘takes the Bastille’ over Macron’s ‘double game’ and promises a hot autumn

“A great disappointment, a real weariness and a growing frustration”“There was a huge effort by the left, the New Popular Front and young people in these elections, but all for nothing, because the result was not respected,” says Malo Le Fur, a student at Sciences Po in Paris. “There was a huge effort by the left, the New Popular Front and young people in these elections, but all for nothing, because the result was not respected,” adds Le Fur.

Along the same lines, Chloé, a 32-year-old architect, comments: “It’s not surprising coming from Macron, we’re already getting used to it, but I didn’t expect the prime minister to be so terrible: he’s homophobic, old and represents a party that came fourth in the elections…” “He’s a reactionary prime minister with ideas too close to the far right,” she continues. “There’s a clear denial of the will of the people.”

Many demonstrators denounce a “double game” on the part of Macron, accusing him of having “based his legislative strategy on the republican arc” and on the containment of the extreme right, to finally “turn the tables”. Arthur, a 25-year-old student, insists: “He has destroyed democratic institutions, showing that voting is no longer of any use”The Prime Minister’s announcement was greeted with a wave of protests across France.

According to the organisers, 150 demonstrations were held across the country on Saturday, and “this is just the first step,” says Arthur. “We are not going to give up. Macron is trying to silence our voice, as always,” adds the young man.

Street protests will not be the only front for the NFP. A motion of censure will be tabled as soon as the National Assembly opens, with the aim of overthrowing the government. The new Assembly, which for the first time since the Fifth Republic has three main blocs, will have to try to form a parliamentary majority, in which the different parties of the NFP will not collaborate: “We will ask for the censure of the Barnier government,” the rebels, the socialists and the ecologists already announced in a joint statement published in X last Thursday.

Olivier Faure, First Secretary of the Socialist Party, also assured in an interview with France Inter that “no personality from his party will be part of this government.” A legislative blockage is expected to prevent a common agreement, and demonstrations will continue throughout France. In a press release, the Socialist Party said that “by refusing to appoint a figure from the New Popular Front as Prime Minister, Macron breaks with a republican tradition shared and respected until now“, adding that Macron has “trampled on the vote of the French” and that for that reason “the socialist group censures Michel Barnier’s government.”

On the other hand, a part of the NFP youth declares itself “between revolt and despair”. Chloé explains: “We realise that the demonstrations, and through them the people, are no longer heard. The yellow vests are a perfect example. They demonstrated for two years, only to achieve absolutely nothing in the end. We hardly see the point of fighting anymore.” She adds that, “even if demonstrations no longer serve much purpose today, at least they make us feel less alone and show us that we are many.”

While the left is trying to unite through various protests, it is also divided regarding the decisions prior to this nomination.

Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, expresses her “deep indignation” against the Socialist Party, which blamed for having prevented the nomination of the socialist Bernard Cazeneuve as prime minister:”We could have had a left-wing prime minister more in line with the vote of the French people in the second round of the legislative elections. That name is Bernard Cazeneuve.” Hidalgo insists that “the law on pensions could have been reconsidered, under certain conditions,” a reform implemented by Macron through article 49.3, which sparked multiple protests in French society.