Faced with the "freedom convoy", the presidential candidates between support and wait-and-see
A sign that reads: "We are freedom" stands in front of a car window as the "Freedom Convoy" leaves Bayonne for Paris, February 9, 2022 GAIZKA IROZ AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The first vehicles of the freedom convoys, this anti-vaccine pass movement, arrived in Paris on Friday evening.
The largest mobilization is expected this Saturday, February 12, but the number of participants is still uncertain, in particular because the government has banned gatherings and promised a firm response to blocking attempts.
On the side of the presidential candidates, there are currently two camps: the supporters and the wait-and-sees.
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He was the first to draw his support: Jean-Luc Mélenchon sees as obvious the support for
a movement which like him claims the end of the vaccination pass
and measures in favor of purchasing power.
The rebellious candidate had already largely supported the Yellow Vests and he observes a continuity of fighting in the freedom convoys, as he declared on France 2: "
They get into motion by talking about purchasing power, I don't can't be against that.
Do not believe that they get into a car, at two euros a litre, for pleasure.
Second, they say they are against the vaccine pass, I too am not going to tell them they are wrong.
I'll see how it all comes together.
What must be understood in today's movements is that they do not belong to anyone.
»
Here are people who get moving talking about purchasing power, I can't be against that!
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, LFI presidential candidate
RFI
Support also from the side of Marine Le Pen, who from Toulon advised the demonstrators to also express themselves by voting, obviously in her favour:
Our company is a real pressure cooker
Marine Le Pen on convoys on freedom convoy 4 p.m.
RFI
And then the last to enter the dance of support, Éric Zemmour, via social networks where his team now associates the hashtags convoys of freedom and Zemmour 2022 on Twitter.
But among the other leading candidates, it is silence.
No position for the moment from Valérie Pécresse, Yannick Jadot, Christiane Taubira, Fabien Roussel or Anne Hidalgo.
At the Socialist Party precisely, we confess that we have not been very interested in the subject, while the messages addressed to the other campaign teams remain unanswered.
A wait-and-see attitude and strategic caution: there is no question of supporting
a movement likely to go wrong
or condemning a social mobilization that could weaken Emmanuel Macron.
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French politics
Emmanuel Macron
Valerie Pécresse
Yannick Jadot
Christiane Taubira
Fabien Roussel
Anne Hidalgo
Jean-Luc Melenchon
Eric Zemmour
Coronavirus