he left-wing coalition of the New Popular Front (NFP), in arduous negotiations to form a Government, managed on Wednesday to agree to present tomorrow, Thursday, a common candidate for the presidency of the French National Assembly, the communist veteran André Chassaigne.
Chassaigne, 74, is the name agreed by La Francia Insumisa (LFI), the Socialist Party (PS), the ecologists and the French Communist Party (PCF) to dispute the fourth hierarchical position of the French State that will be elected this Thursday at the opening of the legislative work.
Deputy since 2002, the politician of Puy-de-Dôme would have about 190 votes, those of the NFP and its partners, ahead of those of the centrist alliance of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the National Association (RN) of Marine Le Pen, second and third groups of the Lower House, respectively.
“We have the collective legitimacy to preside over the Assembly,” Chassaigne told the press, who said that he will be “faithful” to the values of the four groups that make up the New Popular Front, which won the legislative elections of June 30 and July 7 by a few dozen seats.
For the deputy from the interior of France, his experienced profile and knowledge of the parliamentary intricays have endorsed him to be chosen by the left.
The communist will have several rivals in the vote, the first two rounds decided by an absolute majority and, if there is no result, by a simple majority and a third.
On behalf of the macronist Renaissance aspires to repeat the position Yaël Braun-Pivet, president between 2022 and 2024, and the far-right Sébastien Chenu, among others, will also be presented.
Behind the scenes, it is speculated that Chenu may withdraw after the first round of voting, leaving the way free through an eventual abstention of Braun-Pivet, in case it achieves the votes of the classic right and its partners, which would surpass the left.