Since the beginning of the war, the Insoumis candidate has devoted most of his speeches to clarifying his thoughts on Ukraine, aware of having to dissipate the strong criticism of certain left-wing competitors such as Yannick Jadot and Anne Hidalgo who accuse of complacency vis-à-vis Vladimir Putin in recent years.

Because he has now largely passed the 10% mark in the polls and hopes to continue his momentum towards the second round, barred for the time being by the three candidates from the right and the far right.

Sunday, on an esplanade in the Croix-Rousse district of Lyon filled according to LFI by 15,000 people, the tribune did not go there by four paths and proclaimed from the start: "Stop the war, stop the invasion of the "Ukraine, down with the army that is invading Ukraine. Solidarity with the Ukrainians, whether it's the regular army or those who mount the tanks to slow down their advance".

But in his concern not to cut himself off from these people, Jean-Luc Mélenchon also sent a "message of solidarity and love to the Russians who refuse war" by demonstrating.

In the introduction to the meeting, a video message against the war was also broadcast, sent to the rebels by a militant of the Russian radical left, Alexeï Sakhnin.

"Covid parasite"

This in-between, the Insoumis advocates it for all French strategy internationally, with the strong idea of ​​the term "non-aligned", taken from the Cold War.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon at a meeting in Lyon, March 6, 2022 OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE AFP

"If you elect me, I will embody a non-aligned France" which "does not accept a world order in which there would be NATO on one side and a Russian" and Chinese bloc on the other, he said again.

"I propose the exit of NATO, a useless organization, which causes tensions everywhere by its agitation, hoping to withdraw here and there subsidies for I don't know which agency", he said.

Instead, he pleaded for "anti-globalization alliances that start from the general human interest" to take care not only of conflict prevention but also of "the protection of common goods", such as water and electricity. air, and the climate challenge.

It is through this that Jean-Luc Mélenchon made the link with the more national themes of his presidential campaign, social issues and ecology.

His "call to take up the challenge of universal humanity" also called for "changing the course of history, of the world, starting by changing France".

And the Insoumis to unfold his criticisms against Emmanuel Macron's France, ironically on his declaration of candidacy, Friday, with a letter: "At least one positive point in this letter, it only fits in four pages... And we don't get yelled at, we good-for-nothings, the extremes, who even crossing the street can't find a job".

Mr. Mélenchon derided the "five billionaires who own as much as 27 million people".

Boos in the audience.

"You are jealous of the happiness of others," laughed the candidate.

Then, regaining his seriousness, he knocked on the increase in the fortune of the richest, "covid parasites" because with similar amounts "we could have quadrupled the budget of the public hospital".

During Jean-Luc Mélenchon's meeting in Lyon on March 6, 2022 OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE AFP

In the crowd, Dominique Foulon, 71, a former graphic designer, said he was optimistic for his champion, up to a point: "We believe in it ... for qualification in the second round".

He admitted that "the war in Ukraine may have effects on the presidential election, but we do not yet know in what direction. But in the meantime, we have seen photos of ¨Putin with Macron, Le Pen, Zemmour, everyone , except with Mélenchon".

© 2022 AFP