French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation for the first time on Wednesday since his centrist coalition lost control of parliament in Sunday elections. « We must learn to govern and legislate differently, » Macron acknowledged in his first public comments following the election setback.

Adresse aux Français. https://t.co/IJwAeHv9Lu

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 22, 2022

The president said the opposition was ready to work with him on « major » issues and promised measures on inflation, climate change and unemployment sometime this summer.

🔴🇫🇷 In his first public comments since the election setback, Macron said the opposition was ready to work with him on "major" issues.

How could reaching parliament majority on a case-by-case basis be beneficial for Macron? French Politics Expert @RenaudFoucart explains ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/saHYQ00D0K

— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) June 22, 2022

He went on to call on legislative groups to be clear in indicating « how far they are ready to go ».

Macron acknowledged that the parliamentary elections had highlighted social problems in France, but he called on the opposition parties to « leave in-fighting behind » and to move « beyond politics ». The current political impasse should not lead to « stagnation » but to renewed dialogue and a new « willingness to listen to each other ».

🔴🇫🇷 "In April and in June you made two very clear choices. And I recognise this. Now I have to make these decisions a reality to make sure that France is stronger."

"Together we will be able to find the root of collective success," says Macron, ending his speech ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/frq5q3FFs1

— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) June 22, 2022

He added that he had been re-elected in April on a platform of « ambitious reform », which he said he plans to carry out.

Ahead of Sunday’s legislative elections, Emmanuel Macron asked voters to deliver his parliamentary grouping a solid mandate at a time of multiple crises. The alternative, said the recently re-elected president, would be to add “disorder in France to the disorder in the world”.

This plea was resoundingly rejected. In a stunning set of results, which added up to a terrible night for Mr Macron, his centrist alliance lost more than 100 seats in the National Assembly. Though it remains the largest force, the president’s Ensemble (Together) party fell far short of achieving an absolute majority, and a number of high-profile heavy-hitters were defeated at the polls.

Arguably, this was not the biggest shock of an election where the turnout was depressingly low. Outstripping its wildest expectations, the French far right achieved easily its best-ever parliamentary result. Upping its number of deputies from eight to 89, Rassemblement National won swathes of new territory as supporters turned out in the north and south-east. Marine Le Pen’s party will now enjoy unprecedented visibility on the national stage and gain access to significant constitutional rights in the Assembly. Meanwhile, on the left, a new alliance led by the hard-left veteran Jean-Luc Mélenchon became the main opposition force to Mr Macron’s centrist grouping. The controversial uniting of France’s fragmented left, under Mr Mélenchon’s charismatic but divisive leadership, proved a tactical triumph. The alliance more than doubled the number of seats its constituent parts won in 2017.

Mr Macron oversaw a lacklustre, complacent campaign that unsuccessfully relied on momentum generated by his presidential victory in April. The seismic consequence is a parliament reflecting a country where political affiliation is divided between three camps: the social democratic and socialist left; the liberal centre and centre right, and the radical right. The deeply unwelcome breakthrough by Ms Le Pen must in part be put down to Mr Macron’s unwise decision to demonise the united left as an equally “extreme” force. This contributed to a collapse of anti far-right solidarity, as many centrist and left-wing voters abstained in contests where their own candidate failed to make the run-off. The door was thus opened wide for some of Ms Le Pen’s candidates.

For the president, the main take-out is that the dynamics of his second term will be utterly different from those of his first. Across-the-board successes in the elections of 2017 meant that Mr Macron could indulge in a sometimes high-handed, “hyper-presidential” political style. This alienated much of the electorate, which has now dramatically clipped his wings. These results mean Mr Macron will need to work to make new allies and to accept compromises. The fate of his proposals to raise the retirement age and introduce welfare reforms will probably depend on an ability to woo deputies from the centre-right Républicains party.

From being a mere sideshow rubber-stamping the Élysée’s decisions, the National Assembly has been transformed overnight into an institution that matters. This is, broadly speaking, a good thing for French democracy. But the risk of fractious paralysis is real, at a time when urgent challenges need to be addressed on issues such as the cost of living crisis, the war in Ukraine and the climate emergency. A rocky road lies ahead for a chastened Mr Macron, and a parliament that must find a way to act in the national interest in treacherous times.

🔴🇫🇷 "In April and in June you made two very clear choices. And I recognise this. Now I have to make these decisions a reality to make sure that France is stronger."

"Together we will be able to find the root of collective success," says Macron, ending his speech ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/frq5q3FFs1

— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) June 22, 2022

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L’article View on Macron’s bad night: a rocky road ahead est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.

Israel is set to hold a fifth general election in under four years, after its fractured coalition government concluded it could not survive.

In a major political development, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will switch places with Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid under an existing deal.

An election could take place in late October, commentators say.

The former prime minister and current opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to return to office.

Monday’s announcement comes after weeks of speculation that the coalition – the most diverse in Israel’s history – was on the brink of collapse.

It risked losing an important vote next week after a member of Mr Bennett’s own right-wing Yamina party quit the coalition, leaving it a minority in the 120-seat Knesset (parliament).

Mr Bennett said he had made the « right decision » in the interests of Israel’s security, as dissolving the Knesset extended temporary laws which were put in jeopardy by the vote.

The coalition had been teetering for weeks. Last week, Yamina MK Nir Orbach resigned from it, saying the government had failed in its main mission « of lifting [Israelis’] spirits » – a move which left it with only 59 seats. Others had also threatened to rebel.

The announcement on Monday night caught members of the government by surprise. The Times of Israel quoted sources as saying neither the defence nor interior ministers knew about the decision.

The bill to dissolve the Knesset will go to a vote next week. If it passes, as expected, Mr Bennett will make way for centrist Yair Lapid to become interim prime minister.

The two men formed the coalition just over a year ago after a series of inconclusive elections, ousting Mr Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader.

The coalition was stitched together from eight parties from across the political spectrum, united only by the desire to make it impossible for Mr Netanyahu to form a government.

Mr Netanyahu, who is currently standing trial on corruption charges which he denies, said it was « great news for millions of Israeli citizens ».

« This government is going home, » he said, adding that he would form « a wide, national government » headed by his Likud party.

Last week, the results of an Israel Channel 12 TV poll indicated that a bloc led by Mr Netanyahu would win most seats in a fresh election, though still two short of a majority.

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L’article Israel heading to polls as coalition moves to dissolve parliament est apparu en premier sur World Opinion | Alternative Média.