Legislative: LFI opens historic but difficult negotiations with the PS

Europe 1 with AFP 1:41 p.m., April 27, 2022

They promise to be difficult but are no less historic: rebellious France started negotiations with the Socialist Party on Wednesday, contrasting with the strategic and substantive tensions that continue to disrupt discussions between rebellious and environmentalists.

Arriving on Wednesday morning in front of the LFI headquarters, PS spokesman Pierre Jouvet described "the state of mind of responsibility" which presides over this meeting, after years of war between the two formations, an "opening of spirit to come together".

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"It has to go fast"

"These are meetings that require a lot of work, a lot of hours. It has to go quickly," said LFI coordinator Adrien Quatennens, referring to the weekend deadline, mentioned by all the protagonists.

According to him, "the discussions started some time ago, we say to ourselves that if we want to govern together, it is not true that we can be satisfied with 10-15 program points to campaign".

Considering an agreement with the party of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, which came out on top on the left in the first round of the presidential election (22% of the vote), is a major turning point for the Socialists.

Under duress because with 1.7% of the presidential vote, the PS is threatened with extinction.

Tensions within the socialist camp

For their part, the Insoumis have started bilateral discussions with each of the forces on the left, with the good score of Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round.

They made the PS wait, asking for pledges on the merits all the more convincing as the fracture had worsened in recent months.

Since the vote by its National Council, eight days ago, of a desire to discuss with LFI for the legislative elections of June 12 and 19, the PS has been in the grip of tensions.

Tuesday evening, First Secretary Olivier Faure, criticized during a national office by the minority current of the party, invited those who think "there is nothing more to do" to leave.

According to a member of the minority current, Olivier Faure "got angry at the questions of the minority on a possible agreement" with LFI, "like a kid not happy that his position is disputed".

"He was asked for his negotiation strategy, his red lines, his electoral objectives. Basic questions of a political direction", continues this source.

Among those who oppose this merger, the head of this current Hélène Geoffroy, the mayor of Le Mans Stéphane Le Foll or the former first secretary Jean-Christophe Cambadélis.

Difficult negotiations between LFI and EELV

These are other types of tension that have slowed down discussions between LFI and EELV since the start of the week.

The leader of the Greens Julien Bayou underlines: "The task is not easy: we seek to do in a few weeks what we have not been able or did not want to build in five years. Inevitably, it gets a little stuck".

In question, the nature of the partnership: Popular Union in the continuity of the campaign of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, or "coalition" requested by the ecologists?

MP LFI Clémentine Autain spoke of "federation" to reassure them.

The relationship with Europe is also a bone of contention.

LFI estimated in a press release that the differences between the two formations "are linked to the divisions and differences within" EELV itself, referring to Yannick Jadot's refusal to line up "behind Jean-Luc Mélenchon" for an agreement that he wish all the same.

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Communists propose a programmatic agreement

But left-wing member Alain Coulombel, who has often been critical of the leadership's attitude, told AFP that the party was united in judging that "the current conditions are not satisfactory".

For example, "the reading of the winnable constituencies is not the same", observes Alain Coulombel, who criticizes the rebellious proposal of constituencies "located on the outskirts of cities" held by EELV.

On the communist side, we are proposing a programmatic agreement on "several dozen concrete proposals", explains an executive to AFP.

Furthermore, rather than the current method of the discussion, where constituencies are divided according to their "winnability" in "packages of 40 to 60", the Communists want to look "district by constituency", and "not to make policy with the calculator".