In France, as in the United States, the president depends on a majority in parliament to govern. For the past five years, President Emmanuel Macron has had a comfortable majority in the French National Assembly. He has run through several controversial reforms, almost without opposition. On the other hand, he has struggled with the “street parliament”. The demonstrations against Macron have been numerous.
– Are you a maid or a baker, life’s assistants as I call us, they will make us believe that without higher education you can not sit in the National Assembly, says Rachel Keke (48) to TV 2.
– NERVOUS: Until now, President Emmanuel Macron has had almost unlimited power. In today’s election, he may lose the majority in parliament. Photo: AFP
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The smell of barbecue seeps over Keke’s last election meeting. Despite extreme temperatures, about fifty voters have turned up. It is danced and rapped in the shadow of a graffiti-painted wall.
We are on the outskirts of Greater Paris, where Rachel Keke is running for election for the first time. This is a poor area with many immigrants. She came to France from the Ivory Coast in the 90s and became a French citizen in 2015.
– WON: Rachel Keke has already won a big victory. She forced the country’s largest hotel chain to give her and other maids a higher salary. Photo: Santiago Vergara / TV2
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Forcing billionaires to their knees
Keke became famous after she forced the largest hotel chain in France to give her and her colleagues higher salaries and better working conditions as maids. She led the longest strike in the hotel industry and won. The maids at the IBIS hotel, where she worked, were paid more. After almost two years of struggle and strike.
– OVERALL: The left is running together in the election, but Macron’s alliance will probably get the most representatives. Photo: Santiago Vergara / TV 2
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Now the maid wants to enter the National Assembly to fight for those sitting at the bottom of the table. She is running for election to a united left, the NUPES alliance. If enough people from the left win their election duels on Sunday, Macron will lose his majority.
– What weighs on the French today is how to make the money last until the end of the month. It is difficult. How should we increase wages? Rents have increased. Today, everything is expensive, says Rachel.
– MORE DANCE: Rachel Keke promises more laughter and dance in politics if she is elected. Photo: Santiago Vergara / TV 2
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She will be the spokeswoman for those sitting at the bottom of the table. Those who kept society going during the pandemic, whether they washed times in the hospital or cleaned rooms in the few hotels that were open.
She dances with her constituents, and jumps up on stage to hold the very last appeal of the election campaign. Sunday is the parliamentary elections in France.
– They’re scared. They’re afraid of a maid, she shouts.
The left dreams of taking over the majority from Macron. Then the president is sentenced to “political cohabitation”. The center-right president may be forced to rule with a government from the far left. Rachel’s party leader, left-wing populist Jean-Luc Melenchon, has proposed himself prime minister. A controversial politician who is critical of both NATO and the EU.
That’s why Rachel shouts “they are shaking now!”.
– Do you think that even President Macron is scared now?
– Yes, he’s scared. We see this because we won the first round of elections. We are mobilizing well and have conducted a very good election campaign, and they know that they will no longer get a majority.
Keke is a role model for many young people, who feel underrepresented in politics. Also for many young women who want to step into the political system. Twenty-year-olds Noemie and Johanna will vote for her.
– Because she lives like us, they explain.
– VOTES: Johanna and Noemi have to vote for Rachel Keke because «she lives like them». Photo: Santiago Vergara / TV 2
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Polling stations close on Sunday evening at 20. In France, there are no proportional elections as in Norway. The election is arranged in two rounds. In the last round, there are two candidates left and the winner “takes it all”. Keke won the first round and meets a former minister from Macron’s government in the last round. Low turnout is expected, probably below 50 percent. It is a kind of “election fatigue” in France. The weather, with extreme heat, combined with lightning and thunderstorms in several places, can also play a role.
– DIVERSITY: especially many young people in France feel underrepresented. For them, Keke is a role model. Photo: Santiago Vergara / TV 2
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She has promised to dance into the National Assembly if elected. She thinks there is too much seriousness and too little laughter and dance in politics.
– If I win, I take my mobile and do it like that, laughs Rachel Keke. And shows with her hips how she will dance into the Palais Bourbon, where the legislative chamber of the French parliament is located.
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