The social democratic left appeared in Pontoise (Val-d’Oise), Sunday 16 November, with former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, and the leader of the Place publique, Raphaël Glucksmann, with a view to the 2027 presidential elections, and opposed the primaries desired by the “unity” left.
While the latter group, from the Socialist Party (PS) to the Ecologist, met the day before in Trappes (Yvelines) to defend the joint candidacy of the left, the social democratic environment also wants to emphasize its ambitions for 2027.
And although the Unitarians, and especially the PS, urged Raphaël Glucksmann to join them, the MEP, who is positioned on the left in the opinion polls, always refused, choosing to attend at the invitation of the former prime minister, with also former president François Hollande and the president of the Occitanie region, Carole Delga, as part of the meeting presented as such. “reformist left”to prepare for the next presidential election in the face of threats from right-wing groups.
“Our conversation is just the beginning”assured Mr. Glucksmann, because “We are no longer allowed to play. Nobody guarantees us that in one, two or three years, we will still be living on a peaceful and democratic continent”.
Aversion to LFI
The general point of this meeting, which was also attended by former minister François Rebsamen and Nobel Prize winner in economics Philippe Aghion: the claim of rejection of La France insoumise (LFI) by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who is preparing his fourth presidential campaign more than ever and held a meeting near Tours on the same day.
Until now, Raphaël Glucksmann still distances himself from Bernard Cazeneuve, who left the PS in 2022 after the rose party allied with the LFI and founded its movement, La Convention. However, the former prime minister has repeatedly called for social democrats to unite, and proposed merging his movement with Place publique. An invitation that is just a dead letter.
This week, “it moves”but not the merger “not on the agenda”angered Raphaël Glucksmann’s entourage to AFP. The European Parliament wants to make it happen “new political offer”but also strengthened themselves politically “embracing political legacy” social democracy, the people around him explained to justify his presence. “Raphaël has talent. He can make this candidacy for 2027 a reality, like many other candidates”Mr. Cazeneuve said.
However, the presence of Raphaël Glucksmann with Bernard Cazeneuve and François Hollande, “That shows something about his bloodline. He didn’t choose the left heart”criticized MP Clémentine Autain, a former “rebel”, who was one of them “unity”.
Olivier Faure, the boss of the socialists, admitted, in a veiled form of criticism, that Mr. Glucksmann had “the right to want to realize what he wants, if it suits him best”. But for Carole Delga, Mr. Faure, the latter is not the case “not half of the socialists” to support him in the idea of a primary election, which must be endorsed by activists.
“Operating on a tired device”
For Bernard Cazeneuve, the main thing is “operation on tired devices”. “Right now, the priority is to re-establish the power of a left-wing government. I call on Olivier Faure to rebuild that power together with all of us”he pleaded with the press.
The boss of the Radical Left Party, Guillaume Lacroix, considers that Raphaël Glucksmann’s political family is “in this room, and not with the Unitarians”, Who “only talk about the main thing and not the background”. “The most urgent thing is to convey the idea that the political leaders gathered here are not driven solely by their ambitions.”stressed Mr. Lacroix.
Therefore, there is no hesitation for Bernard Cazeneuve, whom some still consider the other way, to declare himself as a candidate. “Let us find ourselves, like our project, among the various components of the reformist left, outside our organizations, so that hope can be born”launched the former minister in his speech. “But ambition for oneself, the combination of apparatus must fade behind a feeling of love for one’s country.”he warned.
François Hollande also called for protests: “We must be at full strength at our next opportunity to win in 2027”in a veiled invitation to Olivier Faure.
