La France insoumise and the Socialist Party reached an agreement on Wednesday for the legislative elections, making compromises both on the constituencies and on the program.

What is this historic agreement all about?

Why is it likely to get stuck?

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What is the purpose of this agreement?

At the twilight of the presidential election, La France Insoumise immediately turned to the legislative elections.

With his 22%, Jean-Luc Mélenchon wants to impose a coalition on re-elected President Emmanuel Macron and obtain the seat of Prime Minister.

To manage to create sufficient opposition to shake the government in place, LFI has chosen to create a large left-wing coalition for the elections on June 12 and 19.

On Sunday, EELV entered this "New popular ecological and social union", followed by the Communist Party on Tuesday.

The Socialists could therefore follow after negotiations which required compromises on both sides of the fence.

What's in it?

The Socialists obtain 70 constituencies.

The leadership of the PS did not, however, specify how many were winable, except that the “outgoing deputies wishing for the agreement have been preserved”.

The programmatic text required compromises.

Thus appears explicitly, at the request of the PS, "the defense of the secular and universalist Republic".

The two formations assume “different histories with the European construction”, but the objective is common: “to put an end to the liberal and productivist course of the European Union”.

LFI and the PS make a lexical compromise on the treaties by calling for "not to respect certain rules" which would prevent the application of the program.

For retirement at age 60, it will be "for all" but the PS added: "with particular attention to long, discontinuous careers and difficult jobs".

Why is internal voting risky?

The text must still be submitted to the internal approval of the Socialists.

The National Council will be convened for Thursday evening by the national office, that is to say the executive of the PS.

Olivier Faure, first secretary of the PS, wants to take the time to convince his 300 members because his entourage warns that the vote will not be "a formality".

Among the stumbling blocks is the 15th district of Paris where the historic rebellious Danielle Simonnet will be invested.

“The negotiators [of the PS] battled but LFI refused to consider Lamia El Aaraje as outgoing”, because his election in 2021 was invalidated by the Constitutional Council in January.

Dissatisfied with this protege of Anne Hidalgo, the PS federation in Paris will probably call on its representatives in the National Council to vote against the agreement, Rémi Féraud, leader of the socialist majority in the Council of Paris, told AFP.

Who openly opposes this union?

In addition to the delicate vote in the National Council, Olivier Faure must deal with the revolt of a minority current and historical figures of the party, such as former President François Hollande and former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve who threatens to leave.

His former Minister of Agriculture, the mayor of Le Mans Stéphane Le Foll, said on France 2 ready to "lead the campaign" of dissidents, "all those who are going to be candidates anyway because they will not accept the agreement”.

At the same time, discussions are continuing with the Trotskyist party NPA, initially enthusiastic but now put off by the alliance with the PS, avatar according to him of “social-liberalism”.

Policy

Legislative 2022: The Insoumis and the Communists formalize their agreement

Policy

Legislative 2022: Bernard Cazeneuve will leave the PS in the event of an agreement with LFI

  • La France Insoumise (LFI)

  • Socialist Party (PS)

  • Legislative elections 2022

  • Jean-Luc Melenchon