Left-Wing Parties in France Coalesce in Response to Macron’s Reelection

Photo Credit: Richard Ying et Tangui Morlier

By Lilit Arakelyan
Staff Writer

Far-left political parties in France have formed a rare coalition in response to the results of the 2022 French Presidential Elections. On April 24, 2022, the incumbent candidate President Emmanuel Macron, founder and leader of the centrist liberal Le Marche Republique party, was reelected to his second five-year presidential term.

Representing liberal voters, far-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon was defeated by centrist leader Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party during the preliminary elections that would determine which candidates would advance to the final elections in April. Following the showdown between Macron and Le Pen, a coalition between the Socialist, Communist, and Green parties of France was formed under the leadership of Mélenchon and his La France Insoumise (LFI) party. 

Without control of the executive branch, the minority liberalist parties have reportedly allied with the intentions of gaining plurality in parliament to prevent a legislative majority for Macron and centrists during the upcoming June parliamentary elections. 

LFI lawmaker Adrien Quatennens told Franceinfo radio, “We can and will beat Emmanuel Macron and we can do it with a majority to govern for a radical program.”

The convergence of left-wing parties is considered rare as the left has not united for over two decades. Historically, Mélenchon has been unsuccessful in luring voters of other left-wing parties to align with the LFI. The recent news of the coalition also comes in light of Mélenchon’s announcement of his intent to campaign for prime minister—another attempt to stymie the reform agenda that the left largely opposes.