Should the left alliance (NUPES, yes, we love ugly acronyms in France) win a majority at the parliamentary elections next month, we will (re)discover that the president has much less power than many would believe.

The only reason Macron has been able to run his policies without much trouble from the National Assembly was that the LREM (and MoDem - F.Bayrou) lawmakers have been so biddable.

The last time a president didn't have a majority at the parliament was between 1997 and 2002, when the PS won a majority at a snap election called by then president Chirac, who was forced to appoint L.Jospin (PS) as Prime Minister. The PS ran the government for five years and there was little Chirac could do.

Mélenchon's goal is to repeat Jospin's feat; still a long shot, but the only one remaining for the left parties.