The President of the LR Senate, Bruno Retailleau, his counterpart in the National Assembly, Laurent Wauquiez, and the Secretary General of LR, Annie Genevard, met with Emmanuel Macron on Friday, August 23rd. The leader of La France insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, opened the door to supporting a government led by Lucie Castets, a candidate from the left, without the participation of his party, in order to challenge his critics. This tactic was welcomed by other parties but received little response from the presidential camp.
While some members of the Renaissance party rejected Mélenchon’s proposal, others made humorous remarks about the situation. The leader of the LR senators, Bruno Retailleau, stated that any left-wing government would face a motion of censure from his party, emphasizing their opposition to the ideas and participation of La France insoumise. Laurent Wauquiez, the leader of the LR in the National Assembly, also criticized LFI as a political danger to the country and promised to block them.
François Bayrou, the leader of the MoDem party, also expressed his opposition to the idea of a left-wing government without LFI, calling it a “sleight of hand” and emphasizing the danger of their program for the country. Discussions for the formation of a new government are set to continue on Monday at the Elysée, where Emmanuel Macron will meet with various party leaders. The possibility of new consultations on Tuesday is also being considered, depending on the outcome of the initial discussions.
The response from the presidential camp is still pending, with LR leaders making their stance clear against LFI’s involvement in the government. The consultations for the Prime Minister’s position, which began on Friday, are expected to continue throughout the week. Political parties are expressing their concerns about the potential inclusion of LFI in a left-wing government, with LR and MoDem leaders particularly vocal in their opposition to such a scenario.
Emmanuel Macron will meet with key party leaders on Monday in further consultations for the formation of a new government. The outcome of these discussions will determine the next steps in the government formation process. The possibility of a public statement from the President on Monday is also being considered. The ongoing negotiations and responses from various political parties indicate the complex political landscape in France as different parties position themselves for the formation of a new government.
