This is one more episode in a series still far from over: will the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes) leave united in the European elections of 2024, next June? The rebellious ardently wish it, but not the communists or the ecologists, who have already said no on several occasions. The Socialists, themselves, are as often a little ass between two chairs: not necessarily unhappy that others have decided before them. Final? Not for everybody. In the first place for the rebellious, who always insist heavily. The youth organizations of LFI, but also of the PS, Générations and EELV are not giving up either.
After a forum in mid-June, the four organizations (the young communists never really adhered to the coordination of the young people of Nupes) organized the inaugural meeting of their “European Forum of young people of Nupes”, the weekend last, in Alfortville (Val-de-Marne). They made the fiber of the unity of the left vibrate there for about 300 people, but not only. “The idea is to launch the programmatic work that we want to carry out this summer, before a pooling at the start of the school year”, explains the co-host of the Young insoumis, Aurélien Le Coq.
Work the bottom
We feel the young people of the Nupes not very warm to the idea of leaving separately for the Europeans. But they and they want above all to prove by A + B that on the merits, there is matter to make a common list. “We are all very favorable to the union, but we are also aware that the European subject is the most difficult between us, recognizes the president of the Young Socialists, Emma Rafowicz. We said to ourselves that rather than sweeping all that away, we preferred to put things down, discuss, work on the substance. “As many works that their elders and elders have a little trouble doing at the moment. A member of the PS management says he has a lot of sympathy for the initiative: “Objectifying things, not sticking to postures, is the only solution to properly settle the subject. »
Other seniors still showed up last Sunday in Alfortville, or through a support video. Rebellious, of course, but also socialists and especially environmentalists, even opposed to a single list. Cyrielle Châtelain, the president of the green group, former leader of the Young Greens, is on the party line but supports the initiative. Under the title that “the role of youth movements is to shake us up”. David Cormand, outgoing EELV MEP, made the trip: “It was important to be there. When someone sends us a message, the least we can do is listen”.
Unconvinced “old people”
The former party leader, still very influential, was not convinced: “It was instructive, but I didn’t feel everyone was comfortable with the tone of the speeches. Fortunately, the Young Ecologists brought back European flags… In fact, we haven’t heard much about Europe…” The fight against climate change, against the rise of the far right and for welcoming refugees, which dominated the speeches, are nevertheless also continental subjects.
On the attachment to the union of the left, the generational division seems obvious, “The young people who are in the left parties today have never experienced anything very exciting with the exception of Nupes”, recognizes an “old man” from the union. Moreover, it is the exit of the socialist Emma Rafowicz on the “old elephants” which was retained: “We do not want to hear you anymore. You made us lose. Let us win! »
Keep morale
But the division is perhaps even stronger at EELV, where the position of the Young Ecologists has very clearly strained relations with the party leadership. The Young Ecologists, therefore, are for the union at 70%. But during the December congress, the members of EELV voted 90% for a roadmap which included the objective of an autonomous list for Europeans. The “old people” are keen on the autonomy of political ecology, even if it has never elected a single ecologist deputy in France. Young people, visibly less: “The subject is winning the elections, in any case giving yourself the opportunity to win them, protests Camille Hachez, co-secretary of the Young Ecologists. We think you need a credible collective to win. To do this, the union must be sustained over the next few years. Maybe we are wrong but until then, election after election, we always do the same thing… ”
She ensures that, independently or in alliance, the Young Ecologists will campaign for EELV. But obviously not with the same enthusiasm. Debate on the single list of the Nupes to the Europeans focuses a lot on its strategic or political opportunity. Maybe forgetting that the morale of the troops is also at stake. And in particular young troops on the left, who, in 2024, will not have won a national election for… twelve years.