French politics on edge as Macron faces coalition challenge
The French daily "Le Figaro" predicts that France is on the brink of political instability. According to the newspaper's commentators, the functioning of the parliament will be hindered, and President Emmanuel Macron will be forced to collaborate with the left, which has already announced plans to annul Macron's reforms.
"Le Figaro" recalls that after the first round of elections, few people believed in the possibility of victory for the left-wing New People's Front. "Macron and his experienced strategists, led by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, tried to convince us there was no risk in voting for the New People's Front, which had no chance of winning. However, the election results showed otherwise. In France, which has never been so strongly right-leaning - as confirmed by the European Parliament elections and the first round of parliamentary elections - Macron has no choice but to try to form a government by turning to the left," emphasizes "Le Figaro."
The daily notes that Macron defeated far-right leader Marine Le Pen for the third time in the elections. His party's result turned out to be better than expected. "However, this one-evening victory should not obscure our view of the coming chaos," warns the newspaper.
French elections. "Prolonged turmoil"
"Le Figaro" predicts that Macron's decision to accelerate the elections will cause prolonged turmoil. "The National Assembly will be even harder to manage than before. Macron has lost the relative majority. Forced to seek a coalition, he avoided the attempt at cohabitation with Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally, only to now have to face the challenge of collaborating with the left-wing bloc, dominated by Jean-Luc Mélenchon's group, representing the far-left Unsubmissive France," assesses "Le Figaro."
The French said "no"
The daily mentions that the National Rally came close to taking power and winning previous votes, but "the French, who turned out en masse to vote, clearly said 'no.'" Despite receiving support from one-third of the voters and popularizing its themes, the RN still evokes "fear and distrust" among most citizens, adds the newspaper.
"Le Figaro" warns of "the anger of RN voters, who feel that their elections were stolen from them" and the frustration of those voters who oppose Le Pen, both on the right and the left of the political spectrum, but "do not feel socialist."
