"Oh...": the disappointment of the dozens of activists and personalities gathered at the Cirque d'Hiver only lasted a few seconds, while their champion's score was displayed and provoked a shout of joy.

“We are happy”, immediately released an activist, visibly relieved.

After a few minutes, several activists suffered a backlash.

Some hugged each other, their eyes filled with tears.

Pierre-Dahomey Néhémy, 35, comforted a crying friend.

"I was hoping he would be in the second round. Ecology and social justice will not be in the second round of the elections. People are sad," he told AFP.

Later, the chants "On est là" of young militants dominated.

"Thank you Jean-Luc", they shouted as they left.

Supporters of Jean-Luc Mélenchon after the announcement of the estimates for the first round of the French presidential election, April 10, 2022 in Paris EMMANUEL DUNAND AFP

Jean-Luc Mélenchon did not know how to gather with the same magnitude as his mentor François Mitterrand, who won him on his third try.

Yet the last few weeks, and especially the very last, have seen many supporters, activists and left-wing figures publicly announce that they would vote Jean-Luc Mélenchon in an attempt to eliminate Marine Le Pen.

The march turned out to be too high, the candidate of the National Rally having experienced a similar dynamic to the Insoumis, starting from higher up.

The phenomenon of the useful vote played out in full, the other left-wing candidates having been siphoned off, all falling below the 5% mark.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon spoke earlier and in a better mood than in 2017, in front of excited activists.

He renewed the same position: a consultation with his 320,000 citizen sponsors online to find out whether to vote Emmanuel Macron or white in the second round.

"You must not give a voice to Marine Le Pen", he repeated several times.

The tribune, who promised before the election that he would not run again in 2027, said: "A new page in the fight is opening, we will approach it with pride in the work accomplished".

He addressed the young people: "It's not far. Do better".

The rebellious presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon during a campaign rally on April 3, 2022 Place du Capitole in Toulouse Lionel BONAVENTURE AFP

For Simon Persico, political scientist and lecturer at Sciences Po Grenoble, "it is undoubtedly a success, he increased his score when he had lost the Communists".

"Especially since the score of the ecologists will have consequences on their ability to lead lists in the legislative elections" and will place LFI in a position of strength, he explained to AFP.

Unlikely rebound

Despite the defeat, climbing to third place, far ahead of the rest of the left and right candidates, was not certain given the position which was that of the Insoumis in the middle of the five-year period which is ending.

The "image rupture" documented by all the opinion polls from the searches at the LFI headquarters in October 2018 seemed to threaten the political possibilities of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Disastrous Europeans followed in 2019.

But to "get out of the catacombs", in his own words, Jean-Luc Mélenchon spoke about his experience of presidential campaigns and the methodical organization of his rebellious France.

He stayed away from the divisions of the left, of which the "Popular Primary" was one of the most recent engines.

Supporters of the rebellious presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon during a meeting, April 3, 2022 Place du Capitole in Toulouse Matthieu RONDEL AFP

Its troops, already reinforced compared to 2017 with the election of deputies and MEPs, have expanded with the establishment of a "Parliament of the People's Union", composed of figures from social movements.

The images of Jean-Luc Mélenchon speaking in front of thousands of people in Paris or Toulouse marked the spirits when the pandemic seemed to have extinguished the great political rallies.

When he spoke on television, the communist Fabien Roussel, who decided to lead an independent campaign and not to ally himself with LFI like the two previous times, was booed by the Insoumis militants gathered at the Cirque d' winter.

"I don't agree with that, we are meant to be brought together," said Aurélie Trouvé, the president of the Parliament of the People's Union.

This campaign scenario will inevitably have repercussions on the June legislative elections, which the Insoumis are approaching dynamically.

"Here is the force!", thundered Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who could try to remain a deputy.

© 2022 AFP