Presidential 2022: the French left at the foot of the wall

The leader of the left movement La France Insoumise (LFI), Jean-Luc Mélenchon (c), during a meeting in Châteauneuf-sur-Isère, near Valence, August 29, 2021. AFP - OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE

Text by: Aurélien Devernoix

4 min

Primary which divides, wars of ego which hysterize, wait for programs which drags on ... It is very badly in point that the left begins the last straight line towards the presidential one.

January could clear things up, however, as the candidates are up against the wall and their potential voters are a bit lost.

This is what a poll published by the newspaper

reveals

.

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 This is how the daily headlines this survey carried out by the

institute

among 569 left-wing voters.

Divided because, like the multiple candidacies, the left vote in 2022 promises to be particularly scattered.

According to 49% of respondents, divisions of people block any possibility of reconciliation.

Result, there is a problem of incarnation of what could be a unifying project of the left.

To the point that a third of the voters questioned could vote for… Emmanuel Macron.

And in this

, only two figures manage to survive, reveals the poll: Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Christiane Taubira.

Christiane Taubira has a plan

The former Minister of Justice may well cast doubt on her potential candidacy, the column she published on Wednesday, December 29 in

looks a lot like a battle plan to prepare for a possible union. The former Minister of Justice believes that the convergences between the various left-wing candidates are sufficient to govern together. She cites the defense of public services, National Education, the fight for the climate, gender equality, social and fiscal justice. A roadmap broadly enough fleshed out to show a united front in the presidential election ...

And for what divides - Europe for example or the reform of institutions - Christiane Taubira suggests going through referendums once the conquest of power is complete.

A strategy that is not new to the left.

This is the path that was taken by the Socialists and Communists in 1981, then by the plural left in 1997. 

A narrow path for 2022

It is no longer even a crest line, it is a tightrope walk that could lead to the union of the left and then to a possible victory.

Today, only Jean-Luc Mélenchon sometimes exceeds 10% of voting intentions.

And for a good part of the socialists, ecologists and communists, it is out of the question to vote for the rebellious candidate, who moreover does not particularly seek to seduce them.

This is where a potential

could come to reshuffle the cards.

She has a strong popularity with voters of the left of all tendencies.

She is also the one who tops the list of personalities best embodying the future of the left, according to the ViaVoice poll.

Except that she has for the moment neither party nor established program, and that she is still not officially a candidate.

What do not fail to recall the Yannick Jadot, Anne Hidalgo and other Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

►

The popular primary, hope and uncertainty

The organization from January 27 to 30 of a popular primary bringing together ten left-wing personalities including Christiane Taubira and Anne Hidalgo raises some hope among voters questioned by ViaVoice, two thirds of them support this project. If Christiane Taubira wins this consultation, it could then form behind her a first alliance with, for example, Anne Hidalgo and Arnaud Montebourg. This would put pressure on Yannick Jadot and Jean-Luc Mélenchon who have already announced that they refused to participate in the primary.

But there may be another scenario: if Jean-Luc Mélenchon wins this primary - because the organizers have decided to keep his name among the ten choices offered - the Insubordinate would obtain a very symbolic success, while not taking any risk. Politics.

A shot of billiards as appreciated by Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Except that we would come back to the starting point: up to nine left and far left candidates in the first round of the presidential election.

And still the same headache for the voters.

► To read also: Presidential 2022: Christiane Taubira approves the popular primary on the left

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