Flep24 (French Legislative Elections Podcast 2024)

In today's episode we talk about Mélenchon's prime ministerial plans, his opinion of Bardella, and the far right's designation by the Interior Ministry. Marlon gets a piece of mail from a shadowy figure from the past, and Olly goes deep on New Caledonian independence and fascists training in the woods. Plus more polls: most people think RN will win. And finally, a genuine apology to Édouard Philippe, we made a couple of jokes about his appearance while discussing his plans to reconstitute the center before getting egg on our face after reading that he has alopecia. And a fact check: it was Sarkozy who raised the retirement age to 62, not Hollande. Marlon, you dunce! Marlon's twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's twitter @reality_manager Send listener questions and business offers (we are selling two 30 second advertisements per episode) to flep24pod@gmail.com.

Olly's out today, so Marlon performs the labour of a Heracles and gives a run through of the right's campaign against Mélenchon for Prime Minister. Marlon also looks at the recent polling which might have things looking closer than ever, the history of RN's hotly contest national preference policy, and touches on some of the night's debate (which Flep24 livetweeted), which we'll do a deeper recap on tomorrow. Marlon also touches on how the coordination between the left wing parties is going, Le Pen's RN social program, and some dirty campaign tactics from RN. INA recap of national preference: https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/immigration-preference-nationale-apl-politique-loi-rn-bardella Flep24's Twitter @lep24pod Marlon's Twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's Twitter @reality_manager

Marlon and Olly meet up in La Villette to recap the second week of the French legislative elections in 2024. Birds, laughing children, and a beautiful sunny day can't stop them from discussing the political state of play in that country of countries France, that city of cities, Paris. They talk about the consolidation of the right wing block, the prospects for a right wing victory, the turn in French civil society towards giving the RN a chance, and the civil servants and ministers breaking down the gates to let them in. The right's opening up a big gap, and the left wing forces are putting up a fight for it in the streets of Montreuil with pamphlets and calls to vote. Will it be enough? Or will Le Pen come to power, motored by gallons of reactionary Catholic billionaire money? Keep tuning in to find out. Marlon's twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's twitter @reality_manager Send listener questions and business offers (we are selling two 30 second advertisements per episode) to flep24pod@gmail.com.

Today's episode takes us over the latest polling, which looks a little better for the left but still shows just how far off they are. The right's got all the momentum just over week out, with Macron nowhere to be seen. Olly talks about bond markets and a potential bank-run, and Marlon questions the ten-year bond yield rates. Marlon goes over some of the discussions he's been having with LR-RN candidates. One of them needs tea, honey, and bed-rest, but still has some insight into the sociology of the RN voter. Olly talks political violence. Pro? Con? Tune in to find out. More about Claude Hermant and Maxime Mouline here: https://footnotesnews.substack.com/p/monsieur-gun Marlon's twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's twitter @reality_manager Send listener questions and business offers (we are selling two 30 second advertisements per episode) to flep24pod@gmail.com.

The dissident left wing candidates rallied in Montreuil, and the press is whirling with reports about their next moves. Is a millionaire funding them? Olly has an update from deep within the bowels of LFI about worries about so-called internal democracy. Marlon talks a lot about pensions. The best time to start investing was 10 years ago. The second best time is now...buy an index fund. And finally, will the RN roll back Macron's retirement reform? History says be skeptical. Marlon's Twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's Twitter @reality_manager

Apologies in advance for the abysmal audio quality in here. It gets very bad at one point in particular and will be a trial which only the real fans can sit through. The audio quality issues here are due to being in transit and trouble with a microphone, and don't reflect the high standards the program normally reaches. A report in Le Parisien reveals that the LR-RN alliance isn't dead just yet, the Left Alliance presents a program, and votes for LFI in some overseas constituencies were huge.

Olly and Marlon recap the news - Mélenchon continues to be monstered by the press and Olly points out the centre left are high on their own supply. Marlon talks about a meal between Darmanin and Edouard Phillipe (sorry again) and their post-Macron plan. They also discuss the more fleshed out proposals of the RN's plan. Marlon's Twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's Twitter @reality_manager

Attal presents the centrist programme, to no one's surprise it's copying the other two blocs, though presumably they'll only do the right's half. Mélenchon continues to be Corbynified and we talk a little more about Marion Maréchal's heist. Marlon's twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's twitter @reality_manager

Macron and Darmanin reveal just how right wing they actually are with rhetoric taken from Action Française. Marion Maréchal betrays Zemmour again. Roussel objects to one of LFI's candidates and Olly is fed a line by Ruffin's camp that the guy's analyse. Olly's piece on Macronism in the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/18/macron-consultants-lobbyists-starmer-labour- Marlon's piece on Darmanin and Action Française https://footnotesnews.substack.com/p/islamo-leftism-king-darmanin-lizard?utm_source=publication-search

Ciotti finds himself in legal trouble and Olly suspects lawfare. Olly and Marlon look at the vague commitments put out by the RN and pontificate on why they've kept it loose. Cracks begin to show in the Popular Front which was already held together with sticky tape. Marlon's Twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's Twitter @reality_manager

Marlon and Olly go over new developments and recap and analyse others. Come for the political forces that created the program of the New Popular Front, stay for the analysis of the right and their movements. Marlon's article on the Horaces https://jacobin.com/2024/06/france-marine-le-pen-horaces-far-right Olly's piece on New Caledonia https://newint.org/colonialism/2024/new-caledonians-are-still-fighting-be-free-france

Another short one today as Marlon is on the road this time expect a long one tomorrow. The left shoots each other again. The New Popular Front expands to include some suprising names. Macronism looks like a sinking ship. Marlon's new piece out in Jacobin: https://jacobin.com/2024/06/france-marine-le-pen-horaces-far-right A piece from earlier this year by Olly on the contradictions of both Mélenchon and Ruffin: https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/first-priorities

Ciotti meets Bollore for lunch and Bardella for dinner as he clings to power in LR. The left suspends negotiations over domestic violence, Palestine, and the actual unspoken sticking point... who gets the good seats. Marlon and Olly go on a tangent about the role of the Gaza genocide in French politics. Marlon's Twitter: @MarlonEttinger Olly's Twitter: @reality_manager

Marion Maréchal stabs Zemmour in the back. Macron makes a speech that no one listens to. LFI and the PS divvy up seats and a procedural coup prevents Marlon from voting. Journalists Marlon Ettinger and Olly Haynes continue their analysis of the French Legislative Elections 2024. Marlon's Twitter @MarlonEttinger Olly's Twitter @reality_manager

Journalists Marlon Ettinger and Olly Haynes discuss the rapidly shifting landscape of French politics. Good news! the left unified! Bad news! so did the right! News that seems inconsequential given the showdown that's coming! Some centrists might also unify!

Journalists Marlon Ettinger and Olly Haynes discuss Macron's decision to call a snap election, why he did it, the possibility of unity on the left, and the increasingly strong far-right. Marlon's twitter: https://twitter.com/MarlonEttinger Olly's twitter: https://twitter.com/reality_manager Music: Once in Paris by Pump Up The Mind.