Legislative 2022: Le Foll fears fewer deputies on the left with the PS-LFI agreement

Europe 1 with AFP 3:16 p.m., May 9, 2022

The socialist mayor of Le Mans Stéphane Le Foll castigated Monday the agreement between the PS and La France insoumise (LFI), an electoral "error" which, according to him, risks leading to a drop in the number of left-wing deputies at the end of the elections. legislative.

During a press conference, the former government spokesman rejected the idea that a "dynamic of the union will automatically create an electoral dynamic".

"I have fully measured that part of the traditional rebellious electorate will find it difficult to vote for the Socialists anyway and a large part of the Socialist electorate, which is European (...), will find it difficult to vote for the Socialists. vote for candidates supported (by the rebellious) or rebellious", he assured.

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A union "not well built"

"At the end of that, as this union is not well built, and it is a merger that was made around the idea that it is Jean-Luc Mélenchon who will become Prime Minister, as and when as it is going to be implemented, we will see the difficulty of applying this type of agreement", according to him.

Thus, the former Minister of Agriculture thinks that on the evening of the second round "there will be fewer deputies within the framework of the agreement than outgoing deputies. That is why I contest it on the merits, but even in terms of electoral reality, I think it is a mistake".

Asked about the possibility of running for the legislative elections in Sarthe, Stéphane Le Foll unsurprisingly let it be known that he remained mayor of Le Mans.

"I made a choice in 2018 to ensure and take over from Jean-Claude Boulard, I represented myself in 2020 and I am mayor and president of the urban community and Le Mans metropolis. I will continue this mandate" , he said, adding that he had no plans to leave the Socialist Party. 

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The Jospin equation

While many PS figures have denounced the agreement with LFI, Stéphane Le Foll asked to avoid any "runaway" on exclusion measures.

He mentioned in particular the case of Lionel Jospin, support of the socialist Lamia El Aaraje, who plans to present himself in dissidence in Paris.

“Lionel Jospin is not going to be excluded all the same, I would not understand! There are many people who do not accept the agreement today. We must (…) avoid a runaway in the repressive measures and of retaliation, since it is useless", said Stéphane Le Foll.