As the Macron manoeuvres with Le Pen to form a new government we look at the failed tactics used by the French left. In doing so we make the argument that the popular front tactic was actually a failure that led to the left collaborating with Macron, supposedly to stop Le Pen, only to have Macron start bargaining with Le Pen immediately afterwards. We also examine the track record of the veteran technocrat Michel Barnier who Macron has chosen as his new Prime Minister.