The left has unveiled its common programme and demonstrated its unity to counter the Rassemblement National, giving its opponents the opportunity to criticise the programme of the New Popular Front

With less than three weeks to go to the first round of the legislative elections, the camps are getting ready and the lines are being drawn on both the right and the left. The Nouveau Front Populaire is presenting its programme and its candidates, while Éric Ciotti, president of the Républicains, is aiming for an alliance with the Rassemblement National.

Each day brings its own surprises. Five days after Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly following the Rassemblement National’s landslide victory in the European elections, the situation is changing.

While the right is debating its position on Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen’s party, the left is getting organised and positioning itself as the only alternative to the far right. Here are the political developments on this day of the general election campaign.

The Nouveau Front Populaire presents its programme

At a joint press conference, the Ecologists, La France Insoumise, the French Communist Party and the Socialist Party set out their programme for the legislative elections. The programme consists of “20 breakthrough measures”, to be implemented in the “first 15 days”, to “respond to the urgent issues affecting the lives and confidence of the French people”. These measures include setting the minimum wage and minimum pension at €1,600 net per month, reinstating the wealth tax, and repealing the pension and unemployment insurance reforms.

“Emmanuel Macron will not have a majority”, said Marine Tondelier, national secretary of the Ecologists-EELV. “Today, it’s either them, the far right, or us, and it has to be us and it’s going to be us.” According to initial polls, the alliance of left-wing parties has 28% of voting intentions for the first round of the legislative elections, compared with 18% for the presidential majority. The Rassemblement National currently leads with 31% of voting intentions.

The courts overturn Éric Ciotti’s expulsion

While the political bureau of the Républicains met this Friday morning to validate the exclusion of their president Éric Ciotti, the courts have ruled in his favour. The summary jurisdiction of the Paris judicial court has suspended the exclusion decisions of 12 and 14 June, on condition that Ciotti’s defence submits a case on the merits to the court within eight days. Éric Ciotti welcomed the decision as “an obvious one”, denouncing the manoeuvres against him as “crude”. He called for focus on the campaign and support for the alliance of the right to defeat the far left.

Aurélien Rousseau among the Nouveau Front Populaire candidates

Following the presentation of its programme, the Nouveau Front Populaire is gradually revealing its candidates. Among them, Aurélien Rousseau, former Minister for Health, has joined the left-wing alliance, pledging to “put up a barrage against the far right”. Asked about his candidacy, Emmanuel Macron quipped about the inconsistency of his former minister.

Squeezie takes a stand against the Rassemblement National

Famed youtuber Squeezie has spoken out against the Rassemblement National and Jordan Bardella on social networks, denouncing an extreme ideology that advocates hatred and discrimination. His open letter was widely shared, receiving over a million “likes”. Jordan Bardella responded with an open letter criticising the influencers for their commitment against millions of French people, using the arguments of France Insoumise.