"Our chances of winning are quite high": Jean-Luc Mélenchon returned to the meeting exercise, Wednesday June 1 in Paris, to galvanize the troops of the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), less than two weeks before the first round of legislative elections.

The meeting took place in a more modest gauge than the presidential one.

But 1,500 people still rushed to the Olympe de Gouges room in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, some even having to stay to follow the meeting on a screen placed outside. 

Several candidates in Paris were present, from the head of EELV Julien Bayou to the antispecist Aymeric Caron via the communist Céline Malaisé.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who for several weeks has been savoring his position at the head of the gathered lefts, delivered a colorful speech, pouring into humorous stand-up at times.

Even if it means exaggerating: "This is the first time that the opposition has been given the lead when the presidential election took place barely a month ago". 

Mobilization historically difficult

If the Nupes is neck and neck with LREM and its allies on the national total of votes, around 28%, according to the projections of the pollsters, the coalition of left-wing parties would be behind the presidential majority in number of seats: between 165 and 195.

But in the estimates, "our high point is higher than their low point", assured Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

If he takes a long time to give credibility to the victory of his camp, it is because mobilization has always been historically more difficult in the legislative elections for the left.

But "if people think we can win, they will go down to vote by package, by cluster, by car", explained the rebellious tribune, causing sound "We are going to win" in the room.

LFI, EELV, PS, PCF, Generations, "we have come together to tell the country, 'We are an alternative if you have understood that it can no longer last as it is'", launched Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

But there is urgency, he urged, because "the state is collapsing around us": school and hospital in difficulty, rising poverty, "climate inaction" and even "to ensure the tranquility of a football match".

For him, "the liberals have ruined and disorganized the State, with the idea that the market was going to replace it".

He shelled his program, assuming to increase public spending by 250 billion.

Several trips

Jean-Luc Mélenchon is stepping up his campaign with several trips to support the candidates – he himself is not. 

After Sandrine Rousseau on Wednesday, he will go to Poitiers on Thursday to present his plan against climate change in the company of Julien Bayou and the environmentalist mayor of Poitiers Léonore Moncond'huy.

The former presidential candidate exposes himself just as much as during his previous campaign.

"His strategy is intelligent but Jean-Luc Mélenchon Prime Minister must not erase those who are not fans from the start", observes Ian Brossat, former campaign manager for communist candidate Fabien Roussel.

"The challenge is that of identifying the candidates", explains to AFP Paul Vannier, negotiator of the agreement for LFI and candidate of the Nupes in the 5th district of Val-d'Oise.

The portrait of the Insoumis leader and the Nupes logo on the posters?

"There's still time for those who didn't to fix this."

Julien Bayou confides for his part to be "pleasantly surprised" by the functioning of the Nupes: "It's fluid in the coordination, it takes on the ground, we have set some major campaign axes and everyone has their own ways of communicating."

La Nupes mocked by the Macronist camp 

Government spokeswoman Olivia Grégoire mocked Nupes' hopes of victory in Le Parisien on Tuesday: "The legislative elections are 577 two-round ballots, out of 577 constituencies. Anticipate the results, based on national polls of different parties, it's like announcing the weather of the day in France, by taking the average of the temperatures from Lille to Marseille."

And the macronist to mock in Nupes "a constituency agreement, not an agreement of conviction": "Who is Nupes? Is Nupes against the burkini like the communist Fabien Roussel or for his authorization with Julien Bayou? On nuclear power, Is Nupes with the communists or with the ecologists who are against it?

With AFP

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