A showdown has begun.
After having pleaded through the press, the president of the MoDem and main ally of the president, François Bayrou, took up the pen to ask Emmanuel Macron for the establishment of proportionality in the legislative elections of 2022. The missive, unveiled Thursday, advocates “A fair and pluralist representation” and recalls that this promise - for “a dose” - “figured explicitly” in its 2017 program. At the heart of their pact, too.
But that's not all.
The pressure mounted a notch when the leaders of EELV, Julien Bayou, RN, Marine Le Pen, UDI, Jean-Christophe Lagarde and, this Friday, LFI, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, have they also sent a letter to this effect to the Head of State.
A coordinated initiative, to better illustrate that "the idea has become the majority in the French political scene", as it is hammered at the Modem.
"He still has good reflexes," smiles a traveling companion, knowing that Bayrou has been developing this idea since November.
“Le Pen, anyway…” ticks a Walker.
A head of state "tapped" but focused on the crisis
An offensive in good and due form, while in the absence of official arbitration, the future of this campaign promise appeared to be in jeopardy.
A fortnight ago, an executive of the majority came out of the breakfast at Matignon with the feeling that "it was in the cabbage".
"It is not a priority," they hammered at the top of the state, preferring to focus on the health, economic, social crisis, and measures of daily life.
And this even if, at the end of the year, the Head of State appeared "tapped", says a framework of the majority, by the idea that he is criticized for not keeping a commitment.
Arguing, in addition, the congestion of the parliamentary calendar, many Marchers pleaded for an implementation after 2022. However, several sensitivities exist within the government, as of the majority.
READ ALSO>
Debate: should the deputies be elected proportionally?
And after this new offensive?
A close friend of Emmanuel Macron, depicting him "focused on the crisis, the daily life of the French", maintains: "It is not a file which is at the top of the pile, given the economic and social health crisis, but if the parliamentarians want to debate the subject, it's up to them.
In short, we should not expect the executive to present a bill.
“There will be no government initiative.
On the other hand, if parliamentarians want to take it up, they should make a bill and it will be supported, ”says a macronist.
This is the whole strategy of Bayrou who, recently observed a minister, "sought to bring out the subject rather from Parliament and the parties".
"There is a small political window"
In echo, Mélenchon estimates in another letter, addressed to the boss of the Modem this time, that only a proposed common law "would allow a common majority vote".
The MoDem group is already working on drafting one.
“There is a small political window,” observes a minister.
Proponents of proportional representation, however, remain on their guard, knowing the reluctance within LREM, LR, and the PS.
"The Modem will perhaps carry a bill, but I am not sure that we will get out of this thorny situation at that time", also notes a walker.
Hence the idea of the referendum, put forward by François Bayrou.
Political Newsletter
Our analyzes and indiscretions on power
Subscribe to the newsletterAll newsletters
One thing is certain, time is running out, because the deadline (June 2021) to change the method of this ballot is approaching.
As an elected LREM said, for those who would like to see it implemented in 2022, it is "a race against time" that is underway.