“It will be a show of force, I hope.” Stuck in the Adrien Quatennens affair, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the rebellious call for a big “march against the high cost of living” and the policy of Emmanuel Macron this Sunday. “This is not Mr. Mélenchon’s walk. It is the march of the people who are hungry, who are cold, who want to be better paid, “said the tribune last Sunday on France 3. But while he is criticized for his recent outings, the mobilization will also be a test for the boss of LFI.
Closing the Quatennens chapter
The summer of the rebellious had already been disrupted by the management of cases of sexist and sexual violence, notably concerning the deputy Eric Coquerel and the former legislative candidate Taha Bouhafs. At the end of September, it was La France insoumise and its Nupes allies who were shaken by the revelations about Adrien Quatennens, who admitted, among other things, having slapped his companion. “Our parliamentary return was spoiled by all these cases…”, blows a socialist deputy.
“We are not going to hide, it was a difficult episode. But I don’t think we’re coming out of it weakened, because we had the right reaction, remaining straight in our feminist values, ”boasts Manon Aubry, LFI MEP. The rebellious therefore hope to close this chapter and open a new one with the mobilization on Sunday. “It’s a good time to ring in the back to school,” continues the elected representative of the European Parliament. But I trust the media to pick up every jolt of the case [Quatennens] “. Jean-Luc Mélenchon did not need anyone to revive the controversy, still last Sunday, believing that the former coordinator of LFI was the victim of “political slaps”.
Display the (fragile) unit of the Nupes
In addition to his unfailing support for Adrien Quatennens, Jean-Luc Mélenchon aroused unease within La France insoumise and its left-wing partners with a tweet calling for “doing better” than during the revolutionary days of October 1789, when the King, Queen and Dauphin had been forcibly brought back to Paris. “We don’t cut off heads, we walk, we groan, we shout, we dance, we’re happy too, on the other hand, we don’t cut off heads”, notably reacted the ecologist deputy Sandrine Rousseau. Will La Nupes display its unity on the Parisian pavement on Sunday?
“Our union takes on its meaning in the face of facts and major battles like this. There are sometimes disagreements, but 95% of our votes are made jointly in the Assembly”, sweeps Manon Aubry. The PS, EELV and even the PCF – after hesitation – called for demonstrations. But the family photo will not be complete. Communists will be present in Paris, not their boss. Fabien Roussel, cold with the rebellious, will be in his constituency on Sunday. “The social movement, it can’t be Mélenchon on the handlebars, and the unions and the other parties pedal behind”, squeaks one of his relatives. A PS deputy also remains very cautious about his presence on Sunday. “Maybe it’s not the right time. If there are local variations, I may go in my circo…”
test yourself on the street
On several occasions in the past, Jean-Luc Mélenchon has shown that he was one of the rare politicians capable of mobilizing thousands of people for an event. The movement has chartered dozens of buses to bring together as many people as possible in Paris. At a time when Parliament is battling over the 2023 budget and pension reform is being considered, the former MP for Marseille is waiting for as many demonstrators as possible to hope to influence the government.
A major challenge because this call, supported by associations and intellectuals, was not supported by trade union confederations, such as the CGT. Back on the front of the stage in the current fuel crisis, they are planning a day of mobilization for the right to strike and wages next Tuesday. “We would have preferred them to be with us, but there will still be many trade unionists present. It is important to regroup, to show that we are not amorphous in the face of the social war led by Emmanuel Macron, ”assures Manon Aubry. “It was badly embarked at the start, but the hardening of the social climate can create a click”, adds an elected representative from the left.
One question remains: will Jean-Luc Mélenchon speak, as he usually does, at the end of this kind of gathering? The question, we are told, is not yet settled. Further proof of the ambient malaise on the left.