The left alliance Nupes, concluded a year ago between Insoumis, socialists, ecologists and communists, blew out its first candle on Thursday, thwarting the most pessimistic forecasts, even if the stumbling blocks accumulate at the approach of the future elections.
The Nupes became, in June 2022, the first opposition force to Emmanuel Macron, thanks to unique candidacies on the left of the chessboard in the constituencies. Thus, 151 left-wing deputies entered the Palais-Bourbon, including 75 LFI, 31 PS, 23 EELV and 22 PCF.
“It gave hope to the people of the left”, assures an elected socialist.
Despite recurring tensions and strategic differences, the alliance led the battle in the National Assembly against the adoption of the 2023 budget and the pension reform, even winning some symbolic victories. In particular, it forced the government to review its copy on the actual number of beneficiaries of the minimum pension at 1,200 euros.
United against the text in joint meetings and during demonstrations launched by the inter-union, the political parties now want to move on to "act 2". Objective: to expand the coalition and allow it to win the presidential election of 2027. But also, for some, to rebalance the forces and reduce the rebellious hegemony.
La France insoumise, the dominant party of the alliance after its 22% in the presidential election, demands a common list in the European elections of 2024, and puts pressure on EELV, which refuses to do so.
The environmentalists, for whom this is the flagship election, defend a separate list, in an attempt to first strengthen their party, which has been weakened since the presidential election. Above all, they underline fundamental differences concerning Europe.
If EELV or the PS clearly define themselves as pro-European, LFI or the PC are Eurosceptic.
Even if a formulation had been found at the time of the Nupes agreement, providing for "not to respect certain rules" of Brussels, to spare the sensitivities of all, the European question remains the main stumbling block of the alliance, in particular on Ukraine, NATO or European defence.
But, for La France insoumise, if Nupes leaves separated, the image will be disastrous, facing the far right and Macronie.
During a Tuesday evening meeting of the leaders, Manuel Bompard, LFI coordinator, "said that he preferred to do 25% all together than 35% separately", reports an elected environmentalist. "He tells a strategy of the lose, whereas one could make a story on the addition of all the scores of the parties of the alliance. The Nupes, they only want it under their yoke."
The PS is ready for a discussion on "the substance" to find out if a common list is possible, but "if there is none, it's not the end of the Nupes", argues the secretary general of the party Pierre Jouvet: "The European ballot has never configured the French political space".
The Communists consider such a list unrealistic, which "defends everything and its opposite".
The subject risks poisoning the union, until the next presidential election.
After the failure of the left in 2022, the main parties of Nupes are convinced of the need to leave together in 2027. But the question of the designation of the common candidate, and especially of the potential candidacy of Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI ), are already debated.
The boss of the PS Olivier Faure pleads to discuss first "a coalition contract", a sort of common program to be rewritten, which is not necessarily to the taste of the Insoumis, whose presidential project of 2022 served as a basis to that of Nupes.
Ecologists call them for "a cooperative", which would play the role of "campaign committee" and would determine the robot portrait of the ideal common candidate, while some socialists defend a "primary".
Many fear in any case that the debate boils down to "for or against" Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Already three times a candidate, he refuses any idea of a primary, but remains for many rebellious the best option.
The other parties underline "the glass ceiling" that this controversial personality could constitute for certain voters, while the Communists are the only ones for the moment to consider a separate candidacy.
05/04/2023 19:27:21 - Paris (AFP) - © 2023 AFP
