Coronavirus crisis in France: the revenge of the left?

Audio 02:53

By: Marine de La Moissonnière Follow

"Reinvent yourself, me first". These words, it was Emmanuel Macron who spoke them Monday evening, during his televised address. A speech with, sometimes, left accents. The president thus spoke of "planning", the return of "happy days" or even of the people who keep France at the moment and that "our economies recognize and pay so badly". This is what he said. So will this crisis allow leftist ideas to regain ground? Are we going to witness the revenge of the left?

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In any case, this is what the left-wing parties hope for ... which are carried by this crisis. “ Those who argued for liberalism at all costs have been caught up in reality. Our ideas are rehabilitated,  “we rejoice in the entourage of Olivier Faure, the boss of the PS.

Same speech among the rebels. " This crisis is an earthquake that reaches the foundations of our world, not just the walls  ", analyzes Éric Coquerel. For the member, we can not do as in 2008 and leave as if nothing had happened, even if according to him, this is what our leaders will try to do. " We must not let them do it,  " insists Éric Coquerel.

How do the lefts intend to take advantage of this opportunity?

Well by working. "  We're working!" We have never worked as hard as we did since confinement, ” exclaims a friend of Olivier Faure. There are of course all the initiatives, all the proposals to influence the current management of the crisis by the government.

And then what also mobilizes the left at the moment, is an in-depth reflection to update the software.

LFI has thus released a new version of its “  L'Avenir en commun  ” program ... and organizes virtual events every Saturday ... with the hashtag, “  Never again  ”.

The PS hears from sociologists, economists, climatologists etc, and launched a platform, "  lemondedapres.fr  "

Europe-Ecology-the Greens, for its part, presented its ideas ... to face the crisis and prepare - again - the next world.

The lefts therefore continue to play their role as opposition parties. But we have the impression that the tone has changed a little

Yes, even the rebels are less virulent ... "  You have to be able to be heard. Now is not the time to create a buzz,  ”admits Eric Coquerel.

Socialists, too, avoid controversy ... "  It's true, we are not trying to weaken the power which is already too weak to manage this crisis,  " said a framework. But "  no way as long as Jupiter decides everything  ".

Could this crisis allow the Left to speak with one voice and finally unite?

On the socialist side, we want to believe it. The crisis has unblocked the situation, explains a deputy. "A  lot of people talk to each other  " ... "  It is progressing in people's minds  ", one insists in the entourage of Olivier Faure.

But the recent passing of arms between Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Julien Bayou, the national secretary of the Greens, around the contours of a possible Grenelle of the next world, proves that the road of the gathering is still long. In all likelihood, La France Insoumise will remain by the wayside.

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• French politics
• Coronavirus
• Containment