A dramatic rise in the second voting round sees Nouveau Front Populaire become the largest party in France.
The far right, led by Marine Le Pen, have been beaten back into third place.
After European elections which saw the Far Right rise, the French Left united to push them back. Crucially they united around radical demands:
- – No to the Far Right
- – A Wealth Tax
- – A Minimum Wage Hike of 14%
- – Huge Investment in Public Housing
- – Price Freezes on Energy and Essentials
- – Reduce Retirement Age to 60
- – Ecological Planning
- – Arms Embargo and Sanctions on Israel
Already the discredited French President, Emmanuel Macron, is trying to hold on to power.
His call for a snap election has backfired massively, and Macron showed his true colours when he worked behind the scenes to try and prevent his organisation standing aside when the Left had a better chance of beating the Far Right.
Now Macron is trying to cobble together a government. The French Left, as the biggest party, says it should have the right to lead. It has a plan to implement its radical programme of wealth redistribution.
Mainstream media in the West hasn’t wasted any time in trying to discredit the French Left’s programme. They’re terrified of policies which favour the working class and the oppressed. They’re terrified of plans which tax the rich in order to fund public services, housing, and climate projects.
France shows what happens when the Left rallies around radical and popular demands. There is an important lesson in the urgent need for all parties to rule out coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Labour and the Green Party have shown they want to be in Government with them. Sinn Féin and the Soc Dems should follow People Before Profit and rule out coalition.
And for both the North and South of Ireland, France shows we don’t need to concede ground to the Far Right or tail their talking points. When we fight back, on our terms, we can win.
The French Left should take this opportunity to continue mobilising on the streets to defend its programme and to push back the Far Right, and we should do the same!
