The left-leaning New Popular Front, which emerged victorious in recent high-stakes legislative elections in France, has chosen Lucie Castets, an obscure civil servant, as their candidate for the prime minister role.
The announcement precedes President Emmanuel Macron’s scheduled national television interview, intended to resolve the ongoing political impasse.
Castets, an accomplished senior civil servant, holds degrees from Sciences Po, the London School of Economics, and the École Nationale d’Administration. Her professional background includes roles at the General Directorate of the Treasury and Tracfin, the anti-money laundering division of Bercy. The New Popular Front lauded her as a staunch advocate for public services and a vocal opponent of raising the retirement age to 64. They also noted her efforts in fighting tax evasion and financial crimes. While Macron holds the power to appoint the prime minister, the appointee must secure majority support in the legislature to avoid a no-confidence vote.
Marine Tondelier, the national secretary of the Green Party, urged Macron via social media to respect the election results and appoint Castets. In contrast, Sébastien Chenu from the far-right National Rally criticized the choice, labeling it “a joke in bad taste.”
Since the recent National Assembly elections, France has faced a governmental standstill, with power divided among the New Popular Front, Macron’s centrist supporters, and the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen.
Comments