Mélenchon Denounces the “Betrayal” of Traditional Left After Budget Negotiations at Bercy

Controversial Talks Between the Government and Left-Wing Parties
On Wednesday evening, leaders of the Socialist Party, the Greens, and the Communist Party met at Bercy with Economy Minister Éric Lombard and Public Accounts Minister Amélie de Montchalin to discuss the 2025 budget. This first joint meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, aimed to explore compromises on key issues such as pension reform and budgetary priorities. While no concrete decisions were made, the participating parties stated that the meeting opened the door to further discussions.

Fabien Roussel, the General Secretary of the Communist Party, stated that “the new room for maneuver that may exist is not yet clear.” Nevertheless, he stressed the importance of continuing the talks to achieve progress, particularly on postponing the pension reform to allow retirement at 62. Marine Tondelier, leader of the Greens, emphasized that “unity is strength,” announcing a joint working session with the Socialist Party and the Communist Party scheduled for later that evening. Despite their willingness to engage in dialogue, all parties reiterated that without significant concessions, a motion of no confidence against the government remained an option.

Mélenchon Criticizes His Allies in the New Popular Front
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise (LFI), strongly criticized the meeting, calling it a betrayal of the New Popular Front (NFP). On the platform X, he accused his Socialist, Green, and Communist allies of engaging in “a total betrayal, showing utter disrespect for our alliance.” He also denounced their “servility,” declaring, “The traditional left has nothing to offer, and its negotiators are simply ridiculous in their servility.”

Manuel Bompard, the coordinator of LFI, echoed these sentiments, arguing that participating in such discussions amounts to supporting the government. “If you vote for the budget, you are backing the government,” he stated on the sidelines of a meeting. La France Insoumise has refused to join the talks, opting instead to wait for Prime Minister François Bayrou’s general policy speech on January 14 before making any decisions.

Tense Budget Negotiations
In parallel to these political discussions, François Bayrou met with Sophie Binet, the General Secretary of the CGT, and Marylise Léon, the leader of the CFDT, to address pension reforms. Sophie Binet welcomed the opportunity for dialogue, while Marylise Léon affirmed that the Prime Minister had “no taboos” about the legal retirement age. Meanwhile, Patrick Martin, President of the Medef, advocated for a broader discussion on financing social protection, including exploring avenues such as capitalization and taxation.

These consultations aim to refine the government’s budget proposal ahead of François Bayrou’s address to Parliament on January 14, where he will outline the major budgetary priorities. The Senate is scheduled to resume debates on the budget on January 15, with hopes of avoiding another no-confidence vote and quickly adopting the 2025 finance laws.