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John Lichfield
A veteran foreign editor and France correspondent, John is a regular columnist for The Local and one of the foremost experts on France writing in English.![OPINION: Lucie Castets is a symbol of the French desire for chaos before coalition](https://apiwp.thelocal.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=webp,width=300,quality=75/https://apiwp.thelocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AFP__20240724__364T7F8__v2__Preview__FrancePoliticsPortrait.jpg)
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OPINION: The comic chaos of French politics hides a real danger for democracy
The new National Assembly which meets briefly from Thursday will have 11 groups, three and a half blocs and a score of parties or factions - writes John Lichfield. Some of the splinters are already splintering. One of the blocs, the Left alliance, is on the point of splitting.