“Everyone is ready to compromise”: Lucie Castets, possible future Prime Minister, will be in Montpellier this weekend

Lucie Castets believes she is capable of finding agreements beyond the New Popular Front. MAXPPP – FLORENT MOREAU

She already has a Prime Minister's agenda. Lucie Castets, a possible Prime Minister acclaimed by the New Popular Front, will meet President Emmanuel Macron this Friday, August 23. In the evening, she will be at the Corum in Montpellier to participate in the French Communist Party's summer university. She will also meet the mayor of Montpellier, Michaël Delafosse, on Saturday, August 24.

What do you plan to say to President Macron this Friday, August 23 at the Elysée to convince him to appoint you as Prime Minister?

The idea is not to convince him but to show him that we are capable of governing. Explain our intentions to him in complete transparency. He knows our program. We will take into account that we will only have a relative majority and not an absolute majority. But more importantly, we want to invite him to recognize the lessons of the legislative elections: a barrier against the National Rally which has achieved unprecedented scores and the need to break with the current policy which is leading us straight into the wall and which will be likely to pave the way for the RN in 2027.

Can he opt for a different choice than you ?

He is free to do so. But institutionally, that would pose a problem. In a democracy like ours, in the absence of an absolute majority, it is the political group that comes out on top that is able to form a government.

Karim Bouamrane, mayor of Saint-Ouen, expected to be at Matignon, is calling for your appointment. What do you say about that ?

I thank him for his support, which honors me. I am delighted that he supports the NFP project for Matignon. This is proof that a broad rally is possible.

If you were appointed, would your government last in the long term ?

I am convinced of it. Because, in a fractured, fragmented country, we need stability and the voters say so, including at the national representation. If we were called upon to form a government, the parliamentarians would not want to overthrow it. And furthermore, I am convinced that we would be able to prove ourselves on the issues of public services, health, education, housing or ecology. I am convinced that we will be able to unite beyond the New Popular Front.

With what program ? That of the NFP as the Insoumis say ?

The Insoumis sent a letter to all parliamentarians to say that we will start from the program as a working basis and then we will seek agreements text by text. No one says anymore that it will be the NFP program, nothing but the NFP program. Everyone has taken into account the issues of balance and stability. Everyone is ready to make compromises. This is also the change of method that we are calling for.

How do you think you can convince beyond the NFP ?

In any case, it is essential to respond to the emergencies brought by the French. We will find agreements except with the RN. The French are waiting for a change in policy and we will be able to overcome partisan divisions.

You are in Montpellier on Friday evening at the PCF summer university alongside Fabien Roussel for an exchange. He wants a very social start to the school year around work. And you, what theme would you like the September start to be placed on ?

Social issues are obviously very close to my heart. But I have another subject, that of public services. And I would like us to be able to improve working conditions and pay in public services, particularly in National Education and in the hospital sector, as soon as the school year starts. This is essential to stop the rise of the RN.

Fabien Roussel says that we need to talk again to people on the left who are currently voting massively for the RN. How do you intend to go about this??

The vote for the RN is fueled by a feeling of abandonment, particularly in rural areas. Public services can respond to this feeling of abandonment to deflate the vote in their favor.

How do you go from being unknown to the general public to potential Prime Minister ? Were you prepared for this shock ?

No one is ever really prepared for what I experienced. But I didn't have time to be shocked. I have a given mission, supported by millions of voters, activists and many local elected officials and, since July 23, I feel ready and determined.

You are also meeting the mayor of Montpellier on Saturday morning?

I am delighted, and we will have a very interesting exchange to discuss the situation in the country and the prospects that are opening up.

Raphaël Glucksmann called for a break with "Mélenchonism". Do you share his point of view??

I do not comment on individual statements. I am not from any party, I come from civil society and that is why I was appointed. I am looking for the hyphen, the point of balance of the NFP. This means not excluding anyone but also being independent of the parties.

What would be your first decision if you were appointed Prime Minister ?

I have had the opportunity to say this several times, but the best signal to send to the French people and to the union forces will be the repeal of the pension reform! In 2023, seven out of ten French people were opposed to it, the social mobilization was unprecedented. It is important for the nature of this decision but also for the change of method, to listen to the field and to the citizen.

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