On the wall of the federation of the Socialist Party (PS) of Ille-et-Vilaine, the poster of a multicolored rose has replaced those of past electoral campaigns. There remains only a poster of François Mitterrand and the propaganda of the first victory of Edmond Hervé, mayor of Rennes from 1977 to 2008. The portrait of François Hollande, stamped with the slogan “Change is now”, was stored in a corner of the room. Quite a symbol. In this federation used to piling up electoral successes and dictating the pace of local political life for decades, activists are demanding “a necessary change in software and strategy”.
At the dawn of the Marseilles congress, which will be held at the end of January, the local socialists are defending Olivier Faure and the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes). “This union strategy was necessary and expected. There was no alternative. Without an alliance, the Socialist Party would have disappeared despite its local incarnations”diagnoses Christophe Fouillère, first federal secretary of the Socialist Party of Ille-et-Vilaine.
Here, there is no longer anyone to defend the campaign of Anne Hidalgo and her “French team” of mayors, which included Nathalie Appéré, first city councilor of the Breton capital since 2014. Over the course of the presidential campaign, this last distanced himself from Mme Hidalgo, who convinced only 3.01% of Rennes voters in the first round of the presidential election on April 10. The next day, M.me Appéré has also called for the union of the left for the June legislative campaigns.
“We get along perfectly”
Accustomed to teaming up with the Communist Party, the local socialists have also validated the alliance with Europe Ecologie-Les Verts as obvious. In Rennes and its agglomeration, they have shared power without major clashes since 2014. This collaboration coincides with the transformation of Breton social democracy into social ecology, defended by Nathalie Appéré. a posture “pragmatic”according to Matthieu Theurier, vice-president at Rennes Métropole in charge of transport and spokesperson for environmentalists in Rennes: “For fifteen years, we have been gaining votes when the PS loses. This party has adjusted to the demands of voters and citizens. »
While 36.31% of voters in Rennes voted for Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s presidential candidacy, the local PS also resolved to form an alliance with La France insoumise (LFI), which is poorly represented in local communities, but whose militant force proves to be dynamic. “Our score was a shock but allowed the rapprochement with LFI. Until then, we didn’t talk to each other. We looked at each other suspiciously.remembers Mickaël Bouloux, deputy (PS) of the 8e constituency of Ille-et-Vilaine. Thanks to the agreement of Nupes, this engineer beat the first quaestor of the National Assembly, the macronist Florian Bachelier.
You have 45.42% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.