Bordeaux just got a little more political – and literary. Philippe Poutou, the three-time far-left presidential candidate, is running for mayor of Bordeaux next March, even as he opens a new bookstore in the city center.
From Factory Floors to City Hall: Poutou’s Next Chapter
The former union leader is trading in wrenches for rhetoric as he launches a bid for Bordeaux’s top job.
- Philippe Poutou will lead a New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) list in the Bordeaux mayoral election.
- He’s ending a coalition wiht Rebellious France,signaling a shift in the city’s left-wing political landscape.
- Poutou recently opened a bookstore, “Les 400 coups,” with his partner, after a period of unemployment following a factory closure.
- Incumbent Pierre Hurmic is seeking re-election after ending 73 years of right-wing rule in Bordeaux.
“I will lead a militant, anti-capitalist list, with unionist, associative, non-member comrades, in the extension of our opposition activity at Bordeaux town hall for six years with the Rouge Bordeaux Anticapitaliste group and its two elected officials,” poutou stated on Saturday. This move comes after he served as an opposition municipal councilor in Bordeaux since 2020, initially elected as part of a coalition.
What’s driving this shift in Bordeaux’s political scene? The end of a previously accomplished alliance with rebellious France marks a fragmentation of the left, with multiple lists now vying for votes, including one led by Nordine Raymond of LFI.
Poutou’s political journey took a detour after the 2019 closure of the Ford Blanquefort site, where he worked as a machine tool repair worker and CGT representative. He faced unemployment before finding part-time work at a cinema in 2022.
Poutou’s foray into the bookselling world began in early May with the opening of “Les 400 coups” in downtown Bordeaux. This new venture coincides with his renewed political ambitions.
A Crowded Field for Bordeaux’s Mayoral Seat
The race for Bordeaux’s mayoral office is heating up. environmentalist Pierre Hurmic, who unseated the right-wing after 73 years in power in 2020, has formally announced his bid for a second term at the beginning of January. He’s facing challenges from several candidates, including Renaissance deputy Thomas Cazenave, economist Philippe Dessertine, RN European deputy Julie Rechagneux, and Virginie Bonthoux Tournay representing Reconquête!
Poutou’s recent political activity also included a run in the june 2024 legislative elections in the frist constituency of Aude, representing the New Popular Front. He reached the second round but was ultimately defeated by a candidate from the National Rally.He collected 1.15% of the
