Two weeks before the first round, the socialist candidate, who is capping around 2% in voting intentions, once again did not hold back her pikes against incumbent Emmanuel Macron, at the top of the polls, which she described as the program of "unfair" and "irresponsible", and against the rebellious Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the first of the candidates on the left, but whom she considers a "dead end".

On the grounds of Jean Jaurès, whom she quoted extensively, Anne Hidalgo defended before the 2,200 people present "the republican, secular left, the left of real social and ecological reforms, the left of real changes", the one "who has learned of its errors and even of its faults, and will have to continue to do so” and “which will have to become again the popular and inventive left that it should never have ceased to be”.

The socialist presidential candidate, Anne Hidalgo, in a meeting in Toulouse, March 26, 2022 Valentine CHAPUIS AFP

Citing the great "social, societal and democratic conquests" such as "paid leave", "the abolition of the death penalty" "the 35 hours" or "marriage for all", she hammered: "Yes, we have changed the lives of French people. And yes, we can do it again".

"The time has come to do you justice", she repeated, presenting the main measures of her program, such as maintaining retirement at 62, freezing energy prices, increasing minimum wage of 200 euros net, or the revaluation of teachers' salaries.

Meeting of PS presidential candidate Anne Hidago in Toulouse, March 26, 2022 Valentine CHAPUIS AFP

She attacked "the projects of the right of Pécresse and Macron".

"Who copied the other is not important, (...) it's the same project. You know it, it's as old as the old world".

And if in 2017 "there could be a doubt", in 2022, "after these 5 years, and especially after the announcement of his program of social breakage, there can be no more! Emmanuel Macron is neither of left, nor left, it is and right and right!”, she insisted.

The socialist presidential candidate, Anne Hidalgo, surrounded by the president of the Occitanie region Carole Delga (on the right) and the president of the Departmental Council of Haute-Garonne Georges Meric (on the left), during a meeting in Toulouse, on March 26, 2022 Valentine CHAPUIS AFP

As for Mélenchon "it's a dead end!", She declared, asking "which city, which department, which region has her movement won with its sectarianism and its excesses?".

"It is the least useful vote in the world to concretely change the lives of our fellow citizens".

© 2022 AFP