At the very last minute, before opening the doors, the organizers brought chairs into the room. “You would see the world outside! » In Alès (Gard), Friday evening February 3, more than 500 people come to take part in a public meeting organized by the deputy La France insoumise (LFI) of the 5e constituency of Gard, Michel Sala. A kind of minimeting, with a single theme on the agenda: pension reform.
The deputy did not come alone. If the first secretary of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure finally canceled his trip, Clémentine Autain (LFI, Seine-Saint-Denis) and Sandrine Rousseau (Europe Ecologie-Les Verts, Paris) are present at the Cazot space, in the center- city of the Gard sub-prefecture (acquired from the Les Républicains party). “It is a symbolic place for us, it is here that we launched the campaign of the deputy [Michel Sala] »underlines one of his collaborators.
The idea of this meeting was born on the benches of the National Assembly, a month ago. “Clementine Autain is my neighbour, chair 350, we sometimes have time to talk to each other”, smiles Michel Sala, the only left-wing survivor of the 2022 legislative elections in this department. In the fifth constituency, he beat the candidate of the National Rally, while elsewhere the extreme right made its nest by winning four seats (out of 6 constituencies).
Half an hour from Nîmes, around Alès and its former mining basin, at the gates of the Cévennes, in an economically disadvantaged, very impoverished territory, the mobilization against the pension reform recalls the biggest demonstrations of the end of the years 1970, “those where we fought against the closure of mines”reminds Michel Sala, who is sure: “Something is happening in Ales. » On January 19, they were 10,000 demonstrators in the street. January 31, same crowd. This city of 40,000 inhabitants had not seen such processions for years.
” It feels good “
With Clémentine Autain and Sandrine Rousseau at the top of the bill, Michel Sala had almost the assurance of a full house. “It’s not often that political stars come here”observes Marie Ribot, hospital worker who participated in the two days of demonstration.
Coming from the Vigan sector, in the Cévennes, where unemployment exceeds 30%, Emmanuel Grieu considers this kind of meeting essential. “We live in isolated territories, without jobs and where public services have disappeared. We just lost the Ganges maternity ward [fermée en décembre] ! It is absolutely necessary to recreate the link on these forgotten territories of the Republic, assures the mayor (without label) of Mandagout (400 inhabitants). It is also through this that a new civic momentum will be born. » Antoine Vasa, 25, cook and admirer of Sandrine Rousseau, traveled from Nîmes: “To see the room filled in this city which has become impoverished and the political parties united, it feels good. »
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