Olivier Faure du Ps before the rebellious elected officials. - NICOLAS MESSYASZ / SIPA

  • More than 150 political leaders and intellectuals of the left or ecologists sign this Thursday a platform to gather "a convention of the common world".
  • A possible union of the left, often mentioned, will however have to meet many challenges.
  • The rebellious denounce any "movement where the PS or social democracy has a central place".

Like an impression of deja-vu. More to constitute "a convention of the common world" in the coming months. In  Le Parisien , the national secretary of EELV Julien Bayou announces, this Thursday also, having written to the leaders of the left and to the unions to organize "universities of the next world" and to reflect together on a project of gathering.

These calls for a rally from the left are from Arles. But since the end of "the plural left", united around Lionel Jospin in 1997, hopes have each time come up against the ideological differences of the parties and the ambitions of their leaders.

Coronavirus can be a game-changer

Since the election of Emmanuel Macron in 2017, the left has sometimes found itself in common fights, against the privatization of Paris airports or in opposition to the pension reform. But unity does not go further. This was without counting the crisis linked to the coronavirus epidemic, hope the initiators of the two calls this Thursday. "We have a major upheaval, unprecedented, half of humanity has been confined, the economy is at a standstill, and we have a government that mismanages things. The crisis favors discussions between us to chart a new path. It minimizes the differences that previously seemed unacceptable, ”believes Julien Bayou.

“The coronavirus has an accelerating effect, on solidarity or on the awareness of a need for ecological transition. The urgency can put an end to the chapel wars and unify our ideas, because we need a common home ", abounds Christian Paul, at the origin of the tribune" At the heart of the crisis, let's build the future ". The former PS deputy continues: "Happy days will not come naturally, you need a strong will and a dose of optimism".

"A common project cannot be done without breaking points"

A single dose of optimism may not be enough. Because these new hopes for unity are encountering the same pitfalls as the previous ones. The rebellious refusal to embark on this type of adventure illustrates the irreconcilable cleavage between the social democratic camp and the radical left, which prefers to appeal to a popular federation. "We are currently in confrontation with the policy of the government ... I remain skeptical about all these often vague calls, without proposal of mobilization, so catch-all that they catch nothing ...", answers the deputy LFI Alexis Corbière, who said, however, "open to debate".

His colleague from Seine-Saint-Denis Eric Coquerel is sharper: “A common project cannot be done without elements of rupture, and certainly not in a movement where the PS or social democracy has a central place. This union of the relooked left, with social democratic heads, like Yannick Jadot which made, there is little, the apology of green capitalism, does not interest me ", he tackles. “The crisis has shown, on the contrary, that we must break away from financialised capitalism, European treaties, the logic of opening up to competition. All these angry subjects are avoided. "

"Let’s put forward what is consensus"

"We had discussions with parliamentarians, in particular Clémentine Autain [elected LFI from Seine-Saint-Denis] ...", assures Christian Paul. “LFI has chosen a personal strategy. We know that Jean-Luc Mélenchon is not going to change his mind thanks to a tribune, but this is only a step. We have no opponent on the left, ”added the former rebel.

But beyond even the rebellious, the subjects of divergence remain numerous between the different left parties, on the European Union or the economy. “We don't agree on everything, but you have to be able to talk to each other. Rather, let us put forward what is consensus: the need to change the current EU rules, stop free trade agreements, ecological transition… ”, lists Christian Paul. "Ecology, social justice, democracy, it can interest many people, confirms Julien Bayou. These calls for unity therefore go in the right direction. But will that be enough?

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  • Left
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