Firebrand French politician Mélenchon poised to shake up election
The veteran left-wing leader has a strong chance of depriving Emmanuel Macron of a parliamentary majority
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the firebrand leader of France's far-left La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party, has emerged as a serious contender in the upcoming parliamentary elections, with polls showing that he has a strong chance of depriving President Emmanuel Macron of a majority in the National Assembly.
Mélenchon, a former Trotskyist who served as a junior education minister in a socialist government from 2000-2, has long been a vocal critic of Macron's neoliberal policies
He has also been a strong supporter of the Yellow Vest movement, which has been protesting against Macron's economic policies since 2018. In the first round of the presidential election in April, Mélenchon came third, with 21.9% of the vote.
If Mélenchon's party does well in the parliamentary elections, it could have a significant impact on Macron's ability to govern. Mélenchon has said that he would not support Macron's government on any issue, and he has called for a "popular front" of left-wing parties to challenge Macron.
Komentar