Communist bastion clings on in Asterix-style legislative election

FRANCE 24 reports from the northern Parisian suburb of Stains, where Communist party member Marie-George Buffet is trying to hold out against a candidate from President Emmanuel Macron’s party.

The northern Parisian suburb of Stains is one of the last remaining strongholds for France’s Communist Party (PCF). But its Member of Parliament, Marie-George Buffet, who is backed by the local communist mayor, is fighting to keep her seat ahead of the second round of parliamentary elections on June 18th.

The candidate running for President Emmanuel Macron’s La République en Marche (LREM) party, Prisca Thevenot, made it through to the second round with 25 percent of the vote, 8 points behind her communist rival. But she believes she can ride the wave of support the president’s party has received during the campaign. First-round results suggest LREM will win 390-430 seats in parliament, which would give the president a massive majority and the ability to quickly push through planned labour market reforms.

Can the communist candidate hold out in the face of the president's popularity? Our reporters went to Stains to find out how the last hours of the campaign are going.
 

Date created : 2017-06-16