While vote counting was still underway across France on Sunday night, one thing was clear: the left-wing coalition called the New Popular Front performed much better than expected and helped deny the far right a victory.
Forecasts show the coalition coming out on top, gaining dozens of seats – a feat for a coalition that was formed just last month to prevent the far-right National Rally from taking power.
The coalition includes four left-wing parties: the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Green Party and the far-left French Insubordination Party. While many French cheer the defeat of the far right, others worry about the possible consequences for the far left.
Last week, the alliance withdrew more than 130 candidates from the three-way race where the far right had a chance of winning, and forced their supporters to strategically vote against far-right candidates after the first vote in two rounds of elections. .
The strategy seems to be working.
Despite the clear victory for the left, polls show that no party or coalition has an outright majority, making it a likely choice to form a government.
Nonetheless, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the founder of France’s Insurrection movement, was a combative and divisive figure who was quick to declare that his party was unwilling to negotiate a coalition government. Instead, he demanded that Syriza be given political power so that it could implement its “whole programme”.
Socialist leader Oliver Faure also said the coalition would not negotiate to form a coalition government.
“This would betray the votes of the French people and prolong the Macronist project,” he said.
Some voters believe that France’s Incumbent party, whose members have been accused of anti-Semitism, is at least as dangerous as the far right. Some economists are worried about the coalition’s spending plans at a time when France is already deep in debt.
The far left’s platform includes raising France’s monthly minimum wage, lowering the legal retirement age from 64 to 60, building 1 million new affordable homes within five years and freezing prices for basic necessities such as food, energy and gas. The state will also pay families for all costs related to their children’s education, including cafeteria meals, transportation and extracurricular activities.
Rather than slashing immigration, as the far-right has promised, the coalition pledged to make the asylum process more generous and smoother.
The New Popular Front has pledged to raise tens of billions of euros to pay for its programs by taxing the wealthy.
“It’s time to tax the super-rich and super-profits,” Mr Faure said to cheers on Sunday night.
It is unclear who among the coalition leaders will be nominated as prime minister if President Macron is tasked with forming a government.
During four weeks of frantic campaigning, three of the four party leaders insisted they would not be led by Mr Mélenchon.
