In her constituency in northern France, former prime minister Elisabeth Borne is relying on support from left-wing voters to retain her seat, despite many not forgetting her role in pushing through a contentious pension reform. Campaigning at a market in the Calvados department of Normandy, Borne aims to persuade voters that voting for her on July 7 will thwart the far right from seizing power, especially after she trailed her National Rally (RN) opponent in the initial round of elections. Borne secured 28 percent of the vote, ahead of left-wing candidate Noe Gauchard with 23 percent, but behind RN rival Nicolas Calbrix, who won 38 percent. Gauchard is among over 200 centrist and left-wing candidates who have withdrawn from the legislative election run-off, a strategy President Emmanuel Macron hopes will prevent the RN from achieving an absolute majority.
Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist party, expressed support for Gauchard's withdrawal, stating on BFM television, "We're going to save Borne." Borne, appointed as France's second female prime minister by President Emmanuel Macron in May 2022, was ousted in a January cabinet reshuffle after serving only one and a half years. Upon leaving office, she acknowledged that there was still progress needed for gender equality. The election's outcome will determine whether postwar France will elect its first far-right government or face a potential era of coalition politics that could be paralyzing.
The centrist government is banking on left-wing support for candidates like Borne to prevent the RN from securing an absolute majority. However, many voters remain resentful of Borne's decision as prime minister to pass a Macron-backed pension overhaul through parliament without a vote, amidst widespread protests. The reform raised the official retirement age to 64 from 62. Michel, a 66-year-old market-goer in Villers-Bocage, commented, "The pension reform really sticks in my throat," and noted that "many left-wing voters will struggle to vote for her." Despite this, he stated he would still vote for Borne to act as a barrier against the RN, which he believes "pits the French against foreigners."
Both Borne and her RN rival Calbrix engaged with market-goers, seeking to sway undecided voters. Borne emphasized the need to prevent an absolute majority for the National Rally, stating that "voters are aware of what is at stake." The RN dominated the first round of voting, setting the stage for Marine Le Pen's party to potentially form a government, with her protégé Jordan Bardella, 28, possibly becoming premier in a tense "cohabitation" with Macron. Despite this, some in the crowd either ignored the former prime minister or made light of her situation.
Referring to Borne's decision to pass the pension reform without a vote, one person in the crowd remarked, "When an issue is forced through, we don't like it." Calbrix, while distributing leaflets, faced criticism as well, with one passer-by dismissing his efforts as a waste of paper. A clothes vendor near the RN team's stand expressed frustration over the rising cost of diesel, questioning the relevance of elections in light of such economic hardships. Some voters, like 29-year-old business owner Rudy Lamartin, remain conflicted on their voting choices.
Lamartin acknowledged the RN's far-right stance but believes the party's focus is on combating crime. He noted that his town of 4,000 people faces no significant issues, but TV reports highlight widespread drug trafficking. At 76, Serge Guillard plans to vote for Borne, not out of conviction but due to concerns about increasing xenophobia. He described the situation as "serious" and labeled the RN as a "racist party." Claude, a retired schoolteacher, shared similar views and blamed Macron for the current political predicament.
Claude, also 76, lamented, "It's a disaster... in two years Macron has messed everything up," and expressed grave concerns about the prospect of Bardella as prime minister. Despite her left-wing leanings, she voted for Borne in the first round to create a barrier against the RN, and plans to do the same in the upcoming election.
