Hard-left leader sees win in French vote, himself as new PM

By ELAINE GANLEY and JADE LE DELEY
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Leftist parties that had nearly disappeared from the French political landscape have grown wings in the runup to Sunday’s legislative elections and now threaten to weaken President Emmanuel Macron and his hopes of slam-dunking his agenda through parliament. An alliance of leftist parties cobbled together by hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon is now soaring in polls. The campaign poster “Melenchon Prime Minister” no longer draws chuckles from opponents. Polls suggest his alliance is a main contender, along with Macron’s centrists. The president reminds people that it is he who chooses the prime minister, implying that even if Melenchon’s alliance wins, he himself might not get the top job.