France’s left-wing New Popular Front bloc of parties, which won the country’s parliamentary elections, came to a unanimous agreement on a suitable candidate for the post of French prime minister on Tuesday, French media reported.
The New Popular Front (NFP) has chosen Lucie Castets, an economist and senior civil servant. Castets graduated from Sciences Po Institute of Political Studies and the London School of Economics. She was appointed to her first position at the French Treasury General Directorate, then moved to the anti-money laundering unit at the French Ministry of Finance.
Working in the Paris city government, Castets is completely unknown to the general public.
While consensus appears to have ended the infighting in the splintered group of Socialists, Greens, Communists and the left-wing LFI party, obstacles remain before Castets can lead a possible new left-wing government.
However, Macron said he was not going to appoint a new head of the country’s government and would not change the composition of the cabinet until at least mid-August, until the 2024 Olympic Games are over in Paris. He also added that to reshuffle now would cause “chaos.”
On July 8, the New Popular Front (NFP) coalition of left-wing parties won France’s parliamentary elections, taking 182 seats in the National Assembly. The presidential coalition Together won 168 seats, while the right-wing coalition led by Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement Nationale won 143 seats. It was reported that the voter turnout in the second round in France was the highest in 43 years.
The head of the coalition’s constituent left-wing party “France Unbowed” (LFI) Jean-Luc Melenchon said it was necessary for Macron to admit defeat and order the formation of a new government. In turn, Macron called for caution in analysing the results and stressed that no hasty decisions should be made.
