France shifts to the left, but risk of policy paralysis looms - https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-shifts-left-risk-policy-paralysis-looms-2024-07-08/
The French people absolutely came out in force to wreck the far-right, which is a phenomenal upset from the predictions!
They also gave no party a majority, and France has little experince in making broad coalition governments. I fucking hope the “Fuck Le Pencil” alliance of Centrists, Liberals, Leftists, and Communists can come together, but the stereotypical left infighting might neuter this before it’s begun.
I might be stereotypical but I, for one, sure hope the left sticks to its program and doesn’t compromise itself by allying with the so-called centrists. They’ve been calling us antisemites, chaos agents and extremists for the whole campaign, and the last 7 years of Macron speak for themselves regarding the centrists inability to support left-wing policies.
The best thing that could happen for the fascists is facing a coalition too mild to do anything meaningful for the people, and being able to say “See? The Left has betrayed you!” next elections
People on the overarching “western liberalism” side of the spectrum are usually fairly accustomed to putting aside their differences to cooperate on important things when the shit really hits the fan. The shit just has to hit the fan, first.
Priorities and all.
To quote Maya Angelou, “Surviving is important. Thriving is elegant.” When you can afford to, it’s good to fight for your particular vision. When your actual survival is threatened, however, that takes a backseat by necessity.
We’re naturally good at this, because the principles of liberty and equality themselves require a certain willingness to cooperate and compromise with people with diverging views. As opposed to authoritarianism, where manipulation of and contesting for power is the ultimate method for sorting out how differing ideas get dealt with.
Hopefully Macron remembers this, and remains willing to compromise with his left flank. I think he likely will.
