After French President Emmanuel Macron called for shock legislative elections later this month, the Left started thinking about blocking the rise of the far-right and proposing itself as a political force that can govern again. Raphaël Glucksmann’s call for a Left coalition, positioning it as the protagonist in French politics, marks a significant shift in the political landscape. French citizens will vote for the Lower House elections on June 30 and, due to the electoral system, return for a second-round vote on July 7.
The rise of the Réveiller l’Europe (Wake Up Europe), led by the Socialist Party leader and MEP Glucksmann, with 14%, doubling its seats from 6 to 13, proved that the Left has the potential to seek a leading role in French politics.
In an interview with Info France 2, Glucksmann, son of the French philosopher André Glucksmann, set the conditions for a strong Left coalition that must be at the core of the fight to preserve European values.
“I’m not doing this to be Prime Minister (…) Laurent Berger would be the suitable person,” announced Glucksmann, proposing Laurent Berger for the post of Prime Minister if the Left wins.
Berger is a French trade unionist who was the general secretary of the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT) from 2012 to 2023.
Glucksmann also refused the hypothesis of a coalition under the leader of France Insoumise Jean-Luc Mélenchon, which also increased its seats by 5 with 9.9%.
Raphaël Glucksmann has outlined five key conditions for a strong Left coalition, which include unwavering support for European construction, Ukrainian resistance, repeal of pension reform, unemployment insurance, and the immigration law. These conditions serve as a clear roadmap for the Left’s political agenda.
Moreover, Glucksmann is not responsible for the shock election called by Macron. Instead, he accused the French President of playing a dangerous game with democracy and institutions.
