By Jon Mullen, French Election Correspondent and comrade

As dozens of antifascist demonstrations are about to begin across France, in opposition to the now over 200 far right MPs, here are some initial thoughts on the results France is plunged into a deep political crisis which will last for some time.

Every political configuration is fragile and every tactic and strategy contested. There will be swings and turns and turncoats (motivated by panic or worse) and some will act better politically than we thought they would. It is important to begin with the key elements, not the detailed tactics, in order to understand what is new and what is possible.

The electoral alliance, the New Popular Front, encouraged by huge pressure from below has succeeded in stopping what would have been probable in the absence of this united front: a government led by fascist Jordan Bardella. This was done through the fact of unity, and because the radical programme motivated the most dynamic election campaign seen for many decades. This result justifies the alliance, and the compromises it required, however fragile it may be in the future.

The New Popular Front did not win a Left majority and was not able to form a government. If it had done so, our main task would have been mobilizing to make sure the programme was implemented, in the face of massive hostility, pressure and seduction from the bosses and their media. Neoliberalism will be trying to find new ways of making sure austerity continues, and that working people continue paying for the crisis. One of these is the idea of a “government of national unity”, drawing from parties of the left and right, as well as the Macronists. Fear of chaos and disorganization is being used to try to persuade people this is a reasonable idea, and very varied figures on the Left, some previously radical, have indicated their willingness to take part. Such a government would be a disaster for working people. Abandoning the radical measures which people need to reduce misery and improve our schools, hospitals and working conditions, a government uniting parts of the Left and parts of the Right would bring rapid and deep disappointment, and practically guarantee a far-right government in a few years’ time, with its attendant horreurs for Muslims, women, migrants, LGBT people and indeed for all workers.

The France Insoumise has refused this option, and all honest sections of the Left must do so, too. Since there is no majority in sight, and the Constitution does not allow fresh elections for 12 months, others are speaking of the nomination of a government of bourgeois “experts” (in Italy at one point they appointed the director of the national bank). This will be presented as a common-sense decision, justified since “foolish politicians” cannot reach a consensus, and because not having a government is “unimaginable”. But how can we imagine that such a government would be on the side of working people ? The New Popular Front, despite all the attempts of some of its leaders to attack the France Insoumise and particularly Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has allowed an extremely dynamic election campaign, involving tens of thousands of new activists, widespread door to door work, and a dizzying variety of initiatives and appeals to vote for radical change and against fascism. The whole country has heard the arguments about how it is possible to tax the rich, rebuild our hospitals and schools, and fight against sexist violence and against racism, including antisemitism and islamophobia.

The crisis is only just beginning. We need to remain mobilized and create structures of vigilance to involve as many as possible of those very large numbers of activists who campaigned for the New Popular Front. These structures must aim at pushing the far right back through mass education, and through mass harassment of all RN events and initiatives. We must fight back against the smear campaigns. Those on the radical Left who disagree with Mélenchon need to understand that he is not being attacked for his faults but because he represents an open-ended radical break with neoliberal business as usual. The campaigns to present him as antisemitic, pro- Putin, etc. need to be vigorously opposed.

John Mullen is a revolutionary socialist living in the Paris region and a supporter of the France Insoumise. His website is randombolshevik.org