Michel Rose and Elizabeth Pineau

PARIS (Reuters – France’s Socialist Party, and La France Insoumise (LFI), agreed to contest the June parliamentary elections together and to try and deprive President Emmanuel Macron (reelected) of a majority.

The coalition pact that the Greens and Communists adopted earlier this week will mark the first French left-leaning alliance in over 20 years. However, it is being done under the control of LFI, a eurosceptic hard-left LFI.

Adrien Quatennens (LFI) said, “We can beat Emmanuel Macron” and that a majority can govern for a revolutionary programme.

Jean-Luc Melenchon was LFI’s controversial chief. He left the Socialist Party of France (PS) after it failed to adjust its pro-European Union position. The deal came together under his leadership. He is determined to “disobey” and question the rules of the bloc on competition and budget issues.

Although the deal is still being approved by the PS National Committee, it states that both the historically pro-European PS as well as the eurosceptic LFI have agreed to “disobey”, or “depart” EU regulations on various policies.

According to a joint statement, both sides committed to making the EU more focussed on protecting the environment and social rights.

Macron’s swearing-in ceremony to his second term is scheduled for Saturday. He has yet not announced the widely anticipated change of prime minister. This week will see the names of some candidates in his pro EU camp for the June election.

“COMPLICATED”

Plans for the new Left-Wing Alliance include raising the minimum wage, lowering the retirement age to 60 years and limiting the price of essential products.

Melenchon’s deal with Socialists, which was long considered the most powerful left-leaning party, is a landmark for the party, which has provided France two presidents and been an important driver for European integration.

The Socialists were not able to leverage their position in negotiations. The Socialists’ presidential candidate for Paris, Anne Hidalgo was able to garner a paltry 1.75%, Melenchon came in third, with 22%.

PS veterans including Jean-Christophe Cambadelis (ex-party leader) have called for their fellow members to reject the deal. They claim it would end a pro EU force.

Corinne Narassiguin (an ex-PS lawmaker) told Reuters that it would be difficult to have the proposal approved by the national committee.

Narassiguin stated that, in a sign that the PS has collapsed, the agreement – which stipulates only one lawmaker of each party will be running in every constituency – foresees that there would only 70 PS candidates on the French mainland and perhaps a few in the overs territories.

French Lower House has 577 legislators

Harris Interactive recently conducted a poll that showed there was a united left as well as an alliance between Macron’s centre-right party and the conservatives, which each had 33% legislative vote. Projections show that Macron could still win a majority of the seats in France’s second round electoral system.