When the Macron camp lost everything except smugness
Emmanuel Macron’s dissolution of parliament destroyed his centre-right party’s previous relative majority, and in the ensuing elections it was overtaken by the broad coalition of leftwing parties, the Nouveau Front Populaire, which now represents the largest bloc in the National Assembly. But despite the credibility the French president has lost with his roll of the dice, and despite the unpopularity of his Renaissance party as expressed in the urns, many among the Macron camp still apparently believe they have the upper hand in French politics, writes Mediapart political affairs correspondent Ellen Salvi in this op-ed article. As difficult negotiations began this week to form a new government, the depleted Macronists have even been lecturing opponents, and notably the Left, on their conditions for supposedly sharing power.
GivenGiven the results of France’s legislative elections – which include the far-right Rassemblement National party and its allies obtaining 143 seats (up on the previous 88), dozens of seats lost by Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, and a president who became regarded with scorn – it would have been reasonable to expect that Macron’s political camp might be tempted to experiment with humility. Even if only for just a short while, the time needed to understand the lessons inflicted by the urns. But that assumption does not take into account the self-importance and smugness of those who never doubt.
