Who will be part of the next government? From which political parties will the ministers come? How long will it take before the government is overturned?

Politicians are very concerned about all this but the laboring classes much less so. They are more concerned about back-to-school expenses, the risk of losing their jobs, long waits in emergency rooms and all their day to day troubles.

Macron, arguing that “nobody has won the elections” and aiming to remain in power despite his double electoral defeat, wants to set up a coalition government ranging from Les Républicains (The Republicans) to the Parti socialiste (Socialist Party), but excluding the Rassemblement national (National Rally) and La France insoumise (France Unbowed). The different parties are reluctant to accept such an agreement because the Macron camp would remain at the center of power and it could be used against them in the event of another dissolution.

The left-wing parties grouped together in the Nouveau Front populaire (New Popular Front), which only have a relative majority in the National Assembly, spent the summer advocating for the appointment of Lucie Castets, a graduate of the French School of National Administration with absolutely no ties to the working class, as prime minister. She says she wants to get rid of retirement age at 64 and raise the minimum wage to 1,600 € ($1,780) per month. These measures, though very modest, have sparked outrage among the business elite and their watchdogs. With or without LFI ministers, the mere idea of making even the slightest concession to workers makes them sick.

And yet, Lucie Castets, by saying that “compromises will have to be made”, shows that she is prepared to break her promises. Every time the left has been in power—even with an absolute majority, as was the case with Mitterrand, Jospin and Hollande—it has bowed down to the demands of financiers and capitalists, and in so doing betrayed working people.

In the UK, the left has returned to power with a large majority. But, under the pretext that the Conservatives left the coffers empty, the new Labour prime minister has announced that the price caps on energy—from which the working class has benefited—will be increased. Starmer hasn’t even considered taxing the bourgeoisie!

In all countries, no matter what sort of coalition is in place or what the prime minister’s political orientation is, the government’s policies are dictated by the big bourgeoisie. Everywhere, it demands that the share of wealth that goes to the working class, in terms of education, healthcare, or purchasing power, be reduced to a minimum.

In a crisis-stricken economy where competition is fierce, capitalists refuse to give up even a tiny bit of their profits to increase wages or fund pensions.

They demand that they get back all state spending whether it be through grants, subsidies or business contracts. What do they care if the population can no longer access healthcare? What do they care if neighborhoods deteriorate?

Whether there is a government in place or not, states are there to ensure that these demands are met. For example, senior officials in the Ministry of Economy have prepared the 2025 budget even though the government itself has “resigned”. And under the pretext of reducing the public spending deficit and of paying back the huge national debt, they have already drafted an austerity budget that includes 10 billion euros in cuts.

The military budget is the only one that hasn’t been affected and that is because those in power are openly preparing for future wars. They are getting ready to use force to defend what all politicians call "France's interests” but which are actually the interests of Total, Bolloré and Dassault, who are competing with their rivals for a better share of the market.

There’s no money to improve wages, schools or hospitals but billions are pouring in for arms dealers, the luxury goods industry and bankers!

All this accumulated money is used to buy and sell shares and to speculate like crazy. The global economy is a huge casino which could be hit by a stock market crash at any time with companies going bankrupt one after the other. Central bankers fear such a scenario more and more, but they cannot stop it from happening.

So, there won’t be any “good” government or parliament to defend our living conditions or our future. If the dictatorship of the capitalist class over society is not overthrown, we will be doomed to shed our blood, tears and sweat to guarantee the profits of a minority of rich parasites.

So, rather than relying on the parties that are competing against each other to manage the capitalist system by presenting ministers devoted to big business, workers must build their own party; a party that unites working people who know they need to move past their differences, get organized and fight not only against the capitalists’ attacks but also to overthrow them.

Nathalie Arthaud