A combination of jubilation, beer, and camaraderie contrasted with tear gas and confrontations with law enforcement were seen as Paris cheered an unusual triumph for the left-wing in the French parliamentary elections.
Among the political groups, the New Popular Front, a coalition comprising parties from radical to centre left, emerged as the largest in one of the most significant and competitive votes in the history of France.
The coalition, which hastily assembled a left-wing representation, bagged the maximum seats in the National Assembly. Not far behind were centrist supporters of French President Emmanuel Macron, followed by Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party. In an unexpected turn of events, the National Rally party, initially predicted to lead, finished in third place, as indicated by exit poll projections.
Result night was pulsating with thousands of left-wing activists and enthusiasts converging at Place de la République, situated in the heart of Paris. The atmosphere echoed with the spirit of celebration, as comrades danced, exchanged cigarettes and sips from cans of beer and wine bottles.
Alia Pescheux, a 27-year-old cinema industry worker remarked, “Everyone was implying that we were headed for a loss. Now, we live with hope that was earlier not there.” Pescheux also supports France Unbowed, a radical left-wing party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and stated that the past week was filled with frantic campaigning to prevent the far right from asserting control over the National Assembly. “Although we haven’t accomplished everything, this is a major achievement since the left in France had been divided for many years and we’ve ultimately consolidated into one group.”
Despite bagging the most seats, the New Popular Front is far from a clear majority, suggesting that France might be moving towards a hung parliament or a shaky coalition of left-wing parties and Macron’s centrist alliance.
Liadan Ni Nunain, a 28-year-old lawyer working in Paris, voiced concerns over the National Rally’s popularity in the polls. “If this sort of politics were to gain power, it would be unprecedented since the World War II,” she expressed.
Born in Ireland and residing in France since she was eight, Ni Nunain recalled the recent weeks as nerve-racking. “I was under the impression that tonight would end in defeat, ushering in a depressing period for France,” she claimed.
After an unexpected surge in votes for the left-wing, France finds itself politically stalemated, thus inhibiting the far right from seizing power. A multitude of left-wing advocates took to the Monument to the Republic in the heart of the square, brandishing Palestinian banners alongside the French tricolour. An assortment of opportunistic vendors had stationed themselves in the area, peddling cans of beer for €5 and bottles of water. The crowd was filled with rhythm as people swayed to music, ardently reciting anti-fascist mantras, and on several occasions, a spontaneous performance of the national anthem, La Marseillaise, filled the air.
Among those present was Karina Si Ahmed, a documentary producer, who confessed her fear of the press liberties being compromised under a National Rally administration. She described the immediate aftermath of Macron’s move to dissolve the parliament and enforce an impromptu election as draining. “It will be quite an unfamiliar sight for French parliament due to the immense divide, since coalitions aren’t a part of our political tradition, making things even more challenging”, she expressed.
The demonstration was under strict police vigilance, with batches of riot police assigned to different sectors around the square. However, a small faction of approximately a hundred protestors clashed with the law enforcement, causing chaos by setting ablaze rubbish in the middle of a road and hurling glass bottles and fireworks in the officers’ direction. The police retaliated with tear gas, causing the crowd to scatter in multiple directions. Amid the ongoing celebrations leading up to midnight, a sect of the joyous crowd chanted towards a line of riot police: “We won, we won”.