PS, PCF, EELV, LFI, Génération.s: the union of the left finally materializes

Are the lefts finally reconciled? In any case, the Socialist Party ratified, during a National Council held on the night of Thursday May 5 to Friday May 6 and after several days of discussions, its alliance with the « New Popular, Ecologist and Socialist Union » (Nupes) , a more consensual name given to the former People’s Union.

On the platform after the results, the first secretary of the PS Olivier Faure recognized a complicated decision. » I would like to say [à Jean-Luc Mélenchon] that weighs on his shoulders an immense responsibility. He is the one who represents the main force of this coalition. But he must now carry the word of the whole coalition and ensure that each and everyone finds himself there, ”he warned.

Because this new alliance in view of the legislative elections of June 12 and 19 has not only made people happy within the rose party. After a very hollow presidential campaign and a score in its image (1.75% of the votes cast), the ideological cracks between two camps of the same family have turned into a real political divide. Thursday evening, out of 292 voters, 167 (57%) chose union, 101 (35%) refused it and 24 (8%) abstained. And if the agreement has therefore been voted by a majority, many PS executives have already made it known that they do not accept this decision, and will campaign alone or under the banner of a new opposition party.

The PS not completely put in Nupes

Wednesday April 4, Stéphane Le Foll, who had made it known that he was ready to « lead a campaign » in the legislative elections which would represent dissidents who were not in favor of the alliance with the rebellious. Rejecting the choice of a majority who wanted to join La France insoumise (LFI), the mayor of Le Mans and former Minister of Agriculture wanted to dredge up the social-liberal fringe of the PS, led by some great figures of the left.

From the former socialist president François Hollande to the president of the Occitanie region Carole Delga, passing by the former first secretary of the party Jean-Christophe Cambadélis, the refractory elephants are indeed numerous. They oppose in particular the positions of « disobedience » of certain European rules, the repeal of the El-Khomri law (implemented under the Holland quinquennium with 49.3) or even the passage to 60 of the age of retirement, invoking the history and origins of the Socialist Party.

Same speech from Bernard Cazeneuve, who decided on Wednesday May 4 to leave the Socialist Party where he had spent 35 years. In a long pamphlet published on Facebook the day before his departure, the former Prime Minister said he had « a clear idea of what we are not and what we will never agree to become ».

Pink wave on the deal

Outside the PS itself, the entry of the Socialists into the Nupes is seen with a dim view. The New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), which had started discussions with LFI very early on and never indulged in insulting its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon during the presidential campaign, finally withdrew from a possible agreement. .

Regularly criticized by other revolutionary left parties such as Permanent Revolution or Lutte Ouvrière, the NPA had tempered some enthusiasm by specifying that it would not sign an agreement with LFI if the PS was in the game. It’s done. « We could have come to an agreement with the Popular Union, the PCF, and even EELV, but we cannot validate such an agreement including the Socialist Party and on the basis of the proposals that have been made to us », is it clarified in a party press release Thursday, May 5.

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The anti-capitalist party also regretted that no constituency had been offered to Philippe Poutou « allowing his election, or even his candidacy in Gironde », while the PS was offered 70, well beyond what he could have hoped for if the sharing had actually been done in proportion to the results obtained in the first round of the presidential election. Remember for all intents and purposes that the NPA candidate had obtained 0.77% of the votes cast, less than a point difference with Anne Hidalgo.

The NPA will therefore propose its own candidates in the next legislative elections, but ensures that it will not present any in the constituencies run by Nupes candidates defending radical left ideas: « In any case, we will call for a vote and will support, including in a militant way, the left-wing candidates breaking the Nupes, against whom we will not present a candidate.