The French left preps Lucie Castets, surprise PM candidate, for governance

When Socialist leader Olivier Faure called Lucie Castets at midday on Monday, July 22, she was taken aback. Would she be the left-wing Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP) alliance’s candidate for the position of prime minister, he asked? She hadn’t requested for any such thing, nor had she asked anyone to put her name forward, nor had she even imagined such a scenario. Once the moment of surprise was over, she asked Faure a number of rather astute questions: Why me? Would I be useful? Capable? Would I be in the right place?

Indeed, these questions are being raised about the profile of the 37-year-old senior civil servant: Someone unknown to the general public, who has never held an elected office, and whose work with NGOs takes place outside the political microcosm. On the evening of the NFP’s announcement, a small political task force was set up around Castets, the financial affairs director for Paris City Hall. Communication specialists and political advisers were dispatched by the four NFP parties to handle the many media requests, which already numbered around a hundred since Tuesday. It was urgent to act, because the following morning, she was to be the main guest on France Inter radio’s morning show, the most listened-to in France, for her first public appearance.

She sought to embrace her new status by calling on the French president to “take responsibility” by naming her without delay, even though Emmanuel Macron announced he had no intention of appointing a new government until after the Olympics: “This is a serious moment and we can’t postpone this type of decision,” urged Castets, whose confidence on air was praised by Faure. Castets spoke in the present tense throughout the interview: “It’s an immense challenge that I accept with responsibility. (…) I’m ready, we’re ready.” Not quite yet.

Perhaps the hardest part is just beginning. The NFP no longer has control over what happens next, but the urgency of the situation demands that its candidate be prepared to govern if or when the time comes. The alliance is gradually defining Castets’ roadmap. Over the last 24 hours, she has undergone a media training session and had countless discussions with representatives of the four parties. “In a few days, we’re going to meet with her and draw up an agenda for change,” said Faure, adding: “To know how to get the first bills through and in what order.” All while starting to think about the composition of a tight-knit government.

‘Deep disagreements’

Will Macron be receptive to Castets’ profile, that of an economist who, while admittedly committed to the left, is not affiliated with any particular party? Within the NFP, no one has attempted to contact the president’s entourage. On Monday evening, speaking on television, Macron, having been informed of Castets’ appointment – although he deliberately avoided mentioning her name – stated: “The issue is not a name given by a political group. The issue is, what majority can emerge in the Assemblée.” While acknowledging that he had lost the parliamentary elections, he implicitly hinted that he did not wish to appoint an NFP government.

You have 53.38% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.