Lucie Castets, a candidate for the position of Prime Minister in the upcoming elections, recently visited the city of Lille in the North of France on July 27, 2024. She was accompanied by Marine Tondelier, the national secretary of EELV, and Aurélien Le Coq, an elected representative from LFI. The group met at a bar called La Réserve in the Wazemmes neighborhood, before walking around the area and meeting with local shopkeepers. The visit concluded with a speech and a crowd meeting with supporters in Place Casquette.
After facing challenging negotiations, Lucie Castets managed to bring together various left-wing parties and will attempt to persuade Emmanuel Macron during political consultations aimed at forming a new government. In an interview with Libération, she discussed her strategy for the consultations, emphasizing her willingness to compromise and outlining key points of her program, particularly on tax issues. Castets, a high-ranking official in the Paris City Hall, expressed her determination to address the long-standing issue of government inaction following the resignation of the previous government under Gabriel Attal. The NFP, invited first by the President due to its success in the legislative elections, will attend the consultation as a united front, with Castets as their choice for the Prime Ministership.
In response to the radical proposition by La France insoumise (LFI) to impeach Emmanuel Macron using constitutional measures, Lucie Castets advocates for a more moderate approach, highlighting the need for compromise in order to secure the support of additional members of parliament to form a majority. She believes that the NFP’s policies can generate consensus and has confidence in finding common ground on key issues such as pension reforms, improving purchasing power, working conditions, public services, and ecology. Various left-wing figures, including Mathilde Panot, the President of the LFI group in the National Assembly, have expressed support for Castets and emphasized the importance of respecting the will of the people and appointing her as Prime Minister.
If appointed as Prime Minister, Lucie Castets intends to take immediate action by postponing the implementation of pension reforms, as well as making significant changes to the budget for 2025. She aims to introduce fiscal measures that could generate billions of euros in revenue in the upcoming years, with plans to submit a revised budget proposal if given the opportunity. Despite the time constraints she may face in finalizing the budget legislation, Castets remains determined to push forward with her agenda and hopes that her candidacy, as a feminist and progressive woman leader, will contribute to shifting societal attitudes.
In conclusion, Lucie Castets and the NFP are focused on steering the country towards a new direction, one that prioritizes the needs of the people and addresses longstanding issues in governance. By advocating for compromise and collective action, Castets aims to build bridges across political divides and promote unity in the pursuit of common goals. As she prepares to engage in discussions with President Macron and work towards forming a new government, Castets remains committed to her principles and believes that her leadership can bring about positive change for France.
