Presidential: Attali sees similarities between the trajectories of Mitterrand and Le Pen

INTERVIEW

On May 10, 1981, almost forty years ago to the day, François Mitterrand became the first left-wing president of the 5th Republic.

At the time, Jacques Attali was already at his side and one of the architects of his conquest of power, which he tells in his book 

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Jacques Attali was then special advisor to François Mitterrand for 10 years.

And a few months before the presidential election of 2022, he warns about the points in common between the political trajectory of François Mitterrand and that of the leader of the National Gathering, Marine Le Pen, on Sunday on Europe 1.

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"I wish this victory did not take place"

Of course, these commonalities do not relate "not to the person, nor to the program, but to the political situation", he specifies. Last Thursday on France 5, this writer and senior official also predicted the victory of Marine Le Pen in 2022. "I predicted by saying that it is time to wake up because I hope that this victory does not take place . "

And yet, several reasons lead him to believe that such a victory could take place.

"François Mitterand, like her, was a candidate three times before being elected," he observes.

"This is also the case for Jean-Luc Mélenchon but Marine Le Pen was in the second round and therefore this created a point in common."

In 1974, François Mitterrand had lost in the second round against Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.

For Marine Le Pen, it was in 2017, against Emmanuel Macron.

"A lot of people on the right and on the left are playing for Marine Le Pen"

Jacques Attali also believes that there is the same ambient feeling "that it is not possible, that he (François Mitterrand) cannot win or that she (Marine Le Pen) cannot win". He also notes "the fact that some of his opponents are playing in his favor, hoping that the next round will be for them". "And there are a lot of people on the right, and also on the left, who consciously or unconsciously play for Marine Le Pen, thinking that the next round will be for them."

Finally, another "feeling" felt by the former adviser of Mitterrand: the one "that must be cleared". "This is what happened with François Mitterrand. It was not only him who was elected but also Mr. Giscard d'Estaing who was beaten. It is therefore the feeling that we must get rid of the political class in place, "he concludes. So many elements which create, according to him, a "convergence" between two political profiles otherwise very distant.