The left in France may not be much good at winning elections but they are excellent when it comes to forming coalitions. Within 24 hours of Emmanuel Macron’s shock announcement on Sunday night of a snap election on 30 June, left-wing parties made a declaration of their own. A coalition of Communists, Socialists, Greens and the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) – similar to the one formed for the 2022 parliamentary elections – would fight the election in a coalition called ‘The Popular Front’.
Prime minister Gabriel Attal described his former party’s decision to ally with LFI as ‘revolting’
The first such ‘Popular Front’ in France was created in 1936 and went on to win that year’s general election. Its leader was Léon Blum, a man who probably wouldn’t be welcomed by some of today’s left in France, given that he was Jewish. The anti-Semitism of LFI – the party that most alarms France’s Jewish community – has been brushed under the carpet by the Socialists, Greens and Communists in their haste to form a coalition.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in