The New Popular Front is an alliance of the French Communist Party (PCF), France Insoumise (France Unbowed, the party of Jean-Luc Mélenchon), the center-left Socialist Party (PS), and Les Écologistes (a green environmentalist party).. Out of the total of 577 seats in the national assembly, the NFP has got 183 seats followed by 163 by Macron’s party and 143 by the far right National Rally (RN). On July 7 polls, the Macron supporters had an understanding with the NFP for mutual withdrawal to prevent the neo-fascist Marine Le Pen’s party RN from winning

In NFP, the far left party of Jean Luc Melenchon is the largest party with 84 seats, followed by the Socialist Party with 57 seats. The Communist Party has 9 seats in the national assembly. For about two weeks, the party of Melenchon and the Socialist Party had heated discussions over the PM candidate of NFP as the SP was not agreeable to the demand of Melenchon for having PM from his party. This tussle continued and finally the partners zeroed in on a non party anti- corruption fighter Lucie Castets who has a record of high integrity for working for common people.

37 year old Lucie Castets is a civil servant and long-time democracy activist. With degrees in political economy and public law, she has worked both internationally and within France in roles combatting financial crimes, tax evasion, and fraud.

As a financial advisor to the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, Castets currently oversees public investments focused on the transition to a green economy and social services. She has previously run as a candidate with the Socialist Party but currently has no direct partisan affiliation.

She is co-founder and spokesperson for the group Nos Services (Our Services), which fights against privatization and advocates for the funding of housing, transit, education, and healthcare. She is also a member of the National Observatory on the Far Right, a watchdog organization that tracks extremist activities.

French Communist Party which took an active role in choosing a compromise candidate to maintain unity of the NFP is optimistic about the success of the PM candidate Castets. According to Fabien Roussel, national secretary of the French Communist Party, “She ticks a lot of boxes.” He saluted her as an expert “committed to the fight against financial crime,” an advocate for public services, and a fighter against the extreme right..French CP especially took note her record as a fighter against the privatization programme of Macron government.

Pierre Jouvet, secretary-general of the Socialist Party, said she “will be the prime minister of social and ecological progress.” The SP was relieved that Melenchon could not have its PM candidate as the programmes of Melenchon for all out attacks against the French corporate sector is not liked by the SP. Further, the Socialists are not favouring NATO withdrawal by France insisted by the far left partner.

Castets is however upbeat about her prospects and programmes.. She said that when she becomes premier, her top priorities are the “repeal of Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform” (which raised retirement ages), “a major tax reform so that everyone, individuals and multinational corporations, pays their fair share,” and a boost for salaries and social security benefits to “improve purchasing power” in the face of inflation. She also pledged “an end to the decline in public services.”

Arguing that the people of France deserve to get the government they voted for, Castets declared it is “essential to give an embodiment to the result of the ballot boxes.” On Wednesday, she met with all of France’s national trade unions to hear their priorities on salaries, pensions, and social protection.

Now the question is what will be the final decision of Macron on PM nomination issue. Right now, Paris Olympics games are on. The entire French govt machinery is busy with the Olympics. Nobody expects President Macron to take a decision on PM during this period. After once the Olympics are over after August 10, the PM nomination issue will crop up. President Macron will be on test.

After the election results were out and Macron’s party lost its seats in the national assembly, the French Prime Minister resigned, but the President asked him to continue till the new PM is appointed. President has the right to appoint PM at his own time since there is a hung national assembly. NFP leaders are ready to wait till the Olympics are over, but if even then, President Macron dillydallies, there is every possibility of launching of fresh mass movement by the NFP partners against the President. (IPA Service)