Saturday, in Aubervilliers, for the launch of its legislative campaign, the left began to “naked”. Like New Union…popular ecologist and social, the name of the left-wing union coalition between rebels, ecologists, socialists and communists. “Nu” is how the Greek alphabet is pronounced “v”. The “v” for victory, a symbol worn by leaders, activists and left-wing activists in selfies posted on social networks for two days. And so it is the logo of the New Popular Ecologist and Social Union (Nupes), on a rainbow background. After the “phi” of the “FI”, we must recognize the rebellious a certain talent for finding new symbols in politics.
So there was color, Saturday in Aubervilliers, joy, lots of smiles. “A desire to win, people are tired of losing,” summed up the rebellious MP Clémentine Autain. To tell the truth, there was emotion, in front of a “crazy” family photo, as one of the rebellious negotiators of the alliance agreement described it. Unthinkable a few weeks ago: Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Julien Bayou, for the ecologists, Fabien Roussel, for the Communists and Olivier Faure, for the Socialists, at the same podium. Olivier Faure, precisely, arrived perhaps with the most fear in the middle of a room where the rebellious were clearly in the majority. The few whistles were quickly drowned out by a long standing ovation, where the leader of the PS seemed moved, particularly touched.
Socialists without complex
“I hear the press telling us that it would be the marriage of the carp and the rabbit (…) We are told that to us while around Emmanuel Macron there are people who have fought each other all their lives, people which are right and left. But it is to us who are on the left and on the left that we ask for an apology. Incredible ! “, proclaimed Olivier Faure at the podium, without complexes. “You are going to see happy socialists! “, had warned before the start of the convention Clémente Autain. And they look like: “I have never received as many thanks as since the agreement,” says Pierre Jouvet, one of the socialist negotiators. No discomfort therefore, on the contrary: “The socialists tell me that they feel liberated. I believe that they felt in their place here”, believed after the convention the rebellious negotiator quoted above.
No discomfort either among environmentalists. “That’s all I’ve been advocating since the start of the popular primary,” explained Sandrine Rousseau with a big smile. The candidate for deputy in the 13th arrondissement of Paris was overwhelmed with requests for candidates from the Nupes to make presentation videos with her. Here again, it is emotion that dominates, especially among the “100% at ease” Benjamin Lucas, a former socialist, who left with Benoît Hamon to create Génération s: “A lot of people that I usually see separately are finally reunited, it takes the guts and it feels good. There is a shared will to win and mutual respect. Frankly a meeting where Mélenchon and Faure are both acclaimed, you would have told me that two months ago, I would have burst out laughing! »
Mélenchon’s efforts
Finally, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, as a candidate for the left – “our political family”, he said – at Matignon, spoke last. He insisted on the historical nature of the alliance but also wanted to project himself into “a new page” where “we must invent, create, work, carry this new identity” which is the New Popular Ecological and Social Union. Even if he continues to aim for a majority in the National Assembly in June, “we don’t want it to last for the duration of an election. If we want it to last, it will be done through discussion, camaraderie, difficulty. Through emulation,” even affirmed the MP for Marseille (who should not run again) who wants to undermine the idea of an electoral alliance of circumstance.
If everyone was so comfortable on Saturday, it’s also because Jean-Luc Mélenchon did his part. No doubt his presidential program is the basis of the programmatic agreement of Nupes, but it should be noted that he has watered down his wine. In the event of victory, he refuses a caporalized majority, and ensures that the debates will continue between the parties. He affirms his radicality, but “a concrete, tenable radicality”. Later he also speaks of a “concrete anti-capitalism” by acting for the daily problems of French men and women.
Negotiations continue
Jean-Luc Mélenchon gave pledges in particular on the subject where the disagreements are the hottest: international questions. He dedicated to the Ukrainian people the “fervor of today” and accused Russia of committing “war crimes” while waving the nuclear threat. In detail, we will not know if Prime Minister Mélenchon would continue to send arms to Ukraine. The new allies still note the effort: “I had already been reassured in our discussions since the end of the presidential election, said Benjamin Lucas. There today he said something about Ukraine that I could have said perfectly well. “It is very important that he speaks clearly of aggression and that he recognizes war crimes”, estimated con side the number 2 of the PS, Corinne Narassiguin.
The Nupes campaign has only just begun. If a first draft of the program was presented yesterday, discussions on the final version are still in progress. “We are working well,” slips the rebellious negotiator. “The discussions are tough but that’s normal, we’re not from the same party even if we have the same culture,” replied Narassigin. On the rebellious side, we are betting on an end of the work in the middle of the week and a very official signing of the quadripartite agreement at the end of the week. Another family photo that will undoubtedly be worth the detour.