France close to political deadlock: No compromise left, right & center
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Divide in the French Parliament, with no will to compromise, is brewing.
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The French Parliament
On Thursday, France risked prolonged political deadlock after opposition parties gave French President Emmanuel Macron the cold shoulder after he called for "compromises" to keep France governable following an indecisive parliamentary election.
On late Wednesday, Macron addressed France after failing to get a parliamentary majority, which constitutes a major setback that will stand in his way of carrying out his planned reforms.
His alliance, which is mostly centrist, finished the elections on Sunday with 44 seats short of a majority in the National Assembly. A new left-wing coalition and the far-right have advanced in votes.
The situation undermines Macron's plans for reform in his second term after the presidential elections in April, including measures to raise the retirement age.
Although Macron ruled out a national unity government, he said that France's political forces must "collectively learn to govern and legislate differently" by building "compromises, additions, and amendments but doing so in complete transparency, for the sake of national unity."
However, the opposition in the parliament was in no mood to help Macron in his endeavors.
"He's the one with his back to the wall, not us," said Socialist deputy Valerie Rabault. "If he tries to push through his program without an absolute majority he will be stuck," she said. "He will be responsible for paralyzing France."
Rabault demanded a "course correction" in favor of a higher minimum wage and lessening the cost of living.
The conservatives have also rejected Macron's idea of a formal coalition. The conservative Republicans (LR) remarked that they would examine Macron's policies "case by case."
"There won't be a blank cheque, especially since his plans are so unclear," added Olivier Marleix, who just became the chief of the LR in Parliament.
Jordan Bardella, the interim president of Marine Le Pen's far-right RN party, said it was up to Macron to make the first initiative, doing this by telling the opposition which policies he will be backing.
See more: What is the Fifth French Republic?
