Ecologists, whose candidate for the Elysée came very far behind Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round of the presidential election, do not intend to rally without flinching to La France insoumise (LFI) in view of the legislative elections of June.
While LFI wrote on Thursday, April 14, to Europe Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV), the French Communist Party (PCF) and the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) to suggest that they form a coalition for the legislative elections, whose base would be “a common shared program” established from that of the Popular Union, EELV for its part proposed “a new approach”, explained Julien Bayou, Friday, during a press conference. The national secretary for environmental training proposes at least “a non-competition, non-aggression pact”which could then lead, “if the discussions allow it, on a common base of a few key proposals, on the environment, social justice, democracy”.
Regarding the distribution of nominations, he pleads for “a weighted, smoothed proportional”which will take into account the result of the presidential election – as proposed by LFI – as well as “intermediate polls”like the European or the regional, where the ecologists had made good scores – better than that of Yannick Jadot in the first round of the presidential election.
“Stinging words”
“LFI has the choice between establishing a domination on the left (…) or build an axis of resistance and alternation for the country”, he explained. He said he read the LFI mail as “an openness to dialogue”while emphasizing that environmentalists were not going to do “penance” for their criticism of Mr. Mélenchon, while LFI wants them to “explain themselves to the voters”. Mr. Jadot had not held back his blows against the candidate of LFI, in particular after the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, judging him complacent with regard to Vladimir Putin.
“We don’t get much back from what we said during the presidential campaign”estimated Mr. Bayou, recalling that there is “very significant disagreements with Jean-Luc-Mélenchon on the country’s foreign policy, in particular on the relationship with Russia or authoritarian regimes”. “We are well aware – it is also the electoral competition and the presidential election – that the words have been more irritating and stinging than necessary”he admitted, however. “We respond favorably to the proposal for discussions”more “we will not be able to bear injunctions, ecology will not be erased”.
Thursday, the communist Fabien Roussel had seemed more directly conciliatory, proposing straight away to Mr. Mélenchon to“to add [leurs] voice “ and repeating his “full availability and that of the PCF to find [un] accord ». However, he did not refrain from saying how Mr. Mélenchon’s appeals to the “effective voting” on the left in his favor had contributed to his losing votes. “My candidacy suffered from this supposedly useful vote”, he lamented, while seeming to pass the towel: “I absolutely do not blame those who have changed their minds in the last few days. »
As for the Socialist Party (PS), LFI very voluntarily forgot to call for rapprochement. “At this stage, we have not sent any mail to the PS, said the LFI press service on Friday. Indeed, the declarations of Carole Delga against Jean-Luc Mélenchon at the end of the first round of the presidential election are clear: there is no will to work with us. »
” Dignity “
In fact, the president of the Occitanie region had not minced her words. “Of course not, there will be no rally behind La France insoumise”, she had declared to the Public Senate, citing differences in the fight against the “communitarianism” or on European politics.
Above all, it reported a blockage in principle: “Five years ago, Jean-Luc Mélenchon did not have the dignity to call for a vote for the republic and for Emmanuel Macron [au second tour, face à Marine Le Pen]. And there it starts again. He bears the responsibility for this division, for this inability of the left to govern. (…) I am indignant that there is not a call from the whole left for the republic and to vote Emmanuel Macron. » On the evening of the first round, Anne Hidalgo had called to vote for the candidate president in order to block the road to the far right, just like Mr. Jadot.