Macron Hosts Reps From Major Parties In Closed-Door Conference

French President Emmanuel Macron hosts the leaders of all the main parliamentary groups at a school north-west of Paris today with no advisors, camera, or mobile phones present. The idea is to discuss issues and attempt to find some consensus as the president looks to reinvigorate his presidency as the end-of-summer “rentrée” to major cities, which can often see political and social tensions spike, looms.

• The invite has even been extended to leader of the far-left La France Insoumise (France Unbowed, LFI) Jean Luc Melenchon and head of the far-right Rassembelement National (National Rally, RN) despite initial indications that Macron would only invite party leaders from the centre-left/centre/centre-right of the political spectrum.
• With a number of parties looking to put forward proposals for referendums (LFI relating to the controversial pension reforms, RN and the conservative Les Republicains relating to immigration), the gov't is potentially looking to hold a 'preferendum'. Here, a number of initiatives would be put forward, with voters indicating their favourability towards each one in a quasi-nationwide survey.
• The French gov't remains vulnerable entering the final third of 2023. Its minority status in the National Assembly leaves it vulnerable to no confidence votes. The prospect of the gov't using controversial Art.49.3 of the constitution to push through a budget without a vote in parliament could result in a major public and political backlash last seen during the pension reform process in the spring.