Undoubtedly. Because coexistence would be an opportunity for him to get out of the quagmire into which France is gradually sinking. Allowing the right and left opposition to shoulder their share of the burden.
Let’s do a little political fiction. There is increasing talk of dissolving the National Assembly less than six months after the spring 2022 legislative elections. Dangerous for most? Undoubtedly. Stupid? Not really. It is said that the president of the republic himself mentioned it on September 29 during a dinner in the Elysée Palace dedicated to the pension reform, in the presence of the leaders of the majority. He is said to have said, in effect, that “if there is a vote of no confidence, there will be dissolution in a minute.”
The overflow of democracy
The political class did not believe. First, because the deputies elected in June are unlikely to return their mandates. Second, because the French do not want to go back to the polls after two rounds of municipal elections in March and June 2020, interrupted by the Covid epidemic, after the presidential elections in April 2022, which will be followed by legislative elections on June 12. and 19, 2022. There would be some overflow of democracy.
And yet, the idea of dissolution is gaining strength. This is what the Journal du Dimanche understands, stating that the topic was discussed on November 3, 2022 in the executive office of the Macronist party. “The party is ready for any situation,” said Stéphane Sejourne, the new leader of the Revival party. Even the “protocol of dissolution” was drawn up. Everything is ready.
This was confirmed by Olivier Dussopt, Minister of Labour, on LCI TV: “If the opposition joins forces to pass a vote of no confidence and overthrow the government, [the President] would obey the French.”
And to get good weight, Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne clarifies in an interview given on October 30 to a Portuguese newspaper: “If there is an alliance to overthrow the government (…), going back to the ballot box could be the way.”
What is the point of dissolution?
Considering the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections, the president of the republic and his (relative) majority, at first glance, are not interested in returning to the voters. They could take a nice jacket.
As a reminder, Macron was re-elected president of the republic on April 24, 2022 with 18,768,639 votes (final numbers), i.e. 58.55% of the votes cast, which was significantly ahead of the presidential election. But that commendable score drops to 38.52%, which is reported to all electorates.
Worse: from 2017 to 2022, Macron lost 1,974,489 votes! This is not the triumph that one would like to believe.
The coexistence that the French asked for
At the same time, Marine Le Pen gets 13,288,686 votes (27.28% of registered voters) and gets 2,650,211 votes in five years! Thus, the electoral dynamics are favorable to her.
The numbers indicate the rejection of the re-elected president and his policies during the five-year term. Indeed, an OpinionWay poll for Cnews shows that “one in three people who voted for Macron in the second round would prefer that he did not have a majority in the National Assembly.” And 63% of French registered voters want to live together with the appointment of the prime minister from the opposition party.
In other words, many voters voted for Macron to block Marine Le Pen, but they don’t want Macron to govern. Here is France divided, fragmented, more divided than ever.
Parliamentary elections: Macron weakened
Then there were parliamentary elections. They confirmed the French rejection of Emmanuel Macron. The president lost the absolute majority. The new Macronist party, Renaissance, has only 170 MPs (including 4 relatives), the National Association – 89 MPs (including one relative), France Insoumise with Nupes – 75 MPs, the Republicans – 62 MPs … Various parties , only 254 seats out of 577 favor the President of the Republic, they have only a relative majority.
This political instability prevents the President of the Republic from carrying out the reforms he announced during the campaign, and in particular the pension reform. Hence their anger.
A new cohabitation?
But the new legislative elections will not be favorable for the Macronist parties. The president knows this well. The economic and social problems associated with the explosion of inflation, the senseless increase in energy and food prices would be fatal for elected officials close to power. And it will benefit first the national association, then the French insoumise.
Without a doubt, this is where Emmanuel Macron plays a new card — coexistence. As it happened several times under the 5ᵉ Republic, with Mitterrand and Chirac.
Since France is in a disastrous economic and social situation, why not put some of the burden on the opposition? The one on the right or the one on the left is not important. Thus, the political responsibility for the failures that will occur in the next few months will be shared to a large extent.
Fiction? It is possible. But who’s to say that Macron hasn’t thought about it?