Anne Hidalgo's support for Ukraine was clear on Saturday in Bordeaux.

A room with yellow and blue colors, French and European flags: the war transformed the meeting of the socialist candidate into a plea for the defense of Ukraine, for Europe and against nationalism.

“We are with you, Ukrainian people!

“: from the start of her speech, Anne Hidalgo, in great difficulty according to the polls, set the tone, evoking the “exceptional seriousness” of this meeting.

While the latter was initially to have a much more festive side, with the retransmission at the start of the afternoon of the Scotland-France rugby match – won by France, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia changed the situation. .

“We need weapons” implores a Ukrainian woman

“We completely changed the speech” on Friday, explained those around him.

"We had to use this moment to support the Ukrainians and express our opposition to Putin", justified the candidate.

“The presidential election is a serious moment, a moment when we are concerned about democracy”.

The day before, she had already changed her agenda, replacing her trip to Cergy in Val-d'Oise on the theme of security with a meeting with the Ukrainian diaspora.

Anne Hidalgo, who also participated in the afternoon in Bordeaux in the demonstration of support for Ukraine, entered the meeting room accompanied by a young Ukrainian, Maryna Kumeda.

The latter, visibly very moved, told how her family in Ukraine was currently living "in the cellar of the family dacha" under Russian bombardment.

“We need weapons,” she implored.

In the public, mostly made up of older people, many say they are touched by what Ukraine is going through.

"I have my head and my heart in Ukraine right now, it was essential that our candidate talk about what is happening there," said Christine Ewans, 65, elected from Mérignac.

"I live the stress of a friend whose wife is Ukrainian," says Jean-Louis Bargain, 68, an activist from Charente, convinced "that she couldn't not change her speech.

All of Europe is concerned”.

Hidalgo wants Ukraine in the European Union

In front of a thousand people, including the first secretary of the PS Olivier Faure, the candidate therefore posed as a defender of Ukraine and Europe against "nationalism" and Vladimir Putin.

She promised that “the French Republican and European left would do everything possible” to help the Ukrainian people.

In particular, she proposed that “an accelerated procedure for Ukraine's accession to the European Union” be launched.

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  • Presidential election 2022

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