“I am the first to whom he shook hands and with whom he took a photo”, smiles proudly Kheira Mebrek, activist of the Socialist Party, speaking of François Hollande. The former President of the Republic did not come to Lyon just to take in the crowds of a hundred “comrades” on a Sunday morning. He responded to the call of Hélène Geoffroy, mayor of Vaulx-en-Velin, to participate in a meeting of “Stand up the socialists” whose aim was to “bring the family together”. Before him, Bernard Cazeneuve and Olivier Faure settled in the seats of the room of the Mercure hotel to discuss “combat populism” and “respond to democratic crises”.
“I also have a photo with them, but it’s not the same,” says another activist. Note the fervor that reigns in the room today. Indeed, on the arrival of the former head of state, discreet but very quickly underlined by Michaël Delafosse, mayor of Montpellier, speaking, the entire public rose to applaud. This did not prevent Marie-Arlette Carlotti, senator from Bouches-du-Rhône and host of the meeting, from asking those present to “welcome François Hollande with more panache” when he spoke.
François Hollande, a “rock star”
Yes, because François Hollande is “a rock star”, as the Montpellier elected official describes him, in reference to his repeated visits and the reception reserved for him in the schools of his city. For a member, the former President is even “the icing on the cake” of this socialist meeting. “We need him in our ranks. For five years, many have decried his mandate but it is time to make a synthesis, ”advances Halima Delimi, in charge of the women’s convention at the PS. For Hélène Geoffroy, it was “very important” that he was there this Sunday.
“François is our President, the last socialist we had. It is a part of our adventure of which we must be proud and must be in the future of the socialists, it is not only the past. ” She adds: “This weekend, we managed to assume all our history and show how it will contribute to building the future by having François Hollande by our side, who, as usual, brilliantly exposed the challenges for our family. policy. »
A socialist list for the European elections
In an intervention of about fifteen minutes, during which he reminded its position on recent events, the former president therefore mentioned the “priorities” of the party to reduce inequalities, the theme of the round table in which he participated. According to him, we must bet on education, a massive decentralization of powers with a territorial priority and an ecological transformation, “a main issue”. He also concluded the meetings by announcing “his desire to create a list for the European elections” in order to bring together “the family of the left” to face the fights. “Without the Nupes”, and in particular La France Insoumise. An idea shared by Olivier Faure who declared the day before, in addition to disagreeing on the revolts, that “there was no evidence that there was an alliance with LFI”, reports Hélène Geoffroy, delighted with these remarks.
For François Hollande, this electoral calendar can thus allow this family to “rebuild itself, to bring back those who had left and to expand”. “On Europe, we have the same wishes, there are no differences”, he says insisting on the creation of a list because “there is no reason to wait”. So, when some activists imagine him as a “rocket” of the group, he reframes directly: “I want to be the cherry but not the core. »
Hélène Geoffroy has achieved “a feat” for the PS
“For the moment, there is no leader but I believe that Hélène could do it”, slips again Halima Delimi. The instigator of this weekend of reunion received more standings and almost as many requests for selfies as the former President. The latter also jokingly congratulated the mayor of Vaulx-en-Velin for having “succeeded in holding a PS congress” in Lyon. He even imagines her “soon to be first secretary of the party”. “It’s a feat, confirms Louisette Delgado Gomes, a political and association activist. That of having to gather the PS. It feels good to see that there are people, that we are still there and that it is possible, we will continue together. »
At the end of these meetings, Hélène Geoffroy said she was “satisfied and very proud” but recalled that “what has been done is the result of a collective work force and convictions”, not of “leadership”. “For two days, we were finally able to exchange ideas again, which has been our strength for many years,” she concludes. The objective is now fixed: the Europeans.