The group supporting Macron has recently taken action aimed at countering the far right’s claim that its supporters are being ignored. A pro-Macron MP mentioned that excluding National Rally lawmakers from parliamentary roles only strengthens the party’s narrative of being marginalized by the system.
Incorporating far-right MPs would weaken the so-called “firewall” or cordon sanitaire, which many Western European countries and the European Parliament use to keep the far right out of significant institutional positions despite their growing electoral influence.
French parliamentary tradition dictates that leadership roles like vice-presidents, quaestors, and secretaries should mirror the lower house’s composition. These roles together form the Bureau of the National Assembly, responsible for maintaining internal discipline, sanctioning disorderly lawmakers, and updating the chamber’s rulebook.
As per a Macron-aligned official, the left occupies more Bureau seats than their electoral strength would indicate. Currently, left-leaning lawmakers hold most of these positions, with none held by the National Rally.
Protests erupted when debating whether the National Rally should hold parliamentary power, a discussion that started in 2022 following Macron’s first-time loss of a majority and the record number of seats won by Le Pen’s party.
In that year, the far right secured two of the six vice-president roles due to the support of centrist and conservative MPs, despite strong objections from the left-wing opposition.
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