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Bilateral agreements between LFI (the new hegemon) and the various other parties of the left, are the order of the day. The idea is to have a single candidate of the Left in every electoral district.

Yesterday, the Greens signed an agreement in which they get a hundred or so districts. Julien Bayou mentioned that in the discussions, they had cleared up differences on EU issues (i.e. engaged in an exercise of creative ambiguity, because they are miles apart).

Mélenchon and Olivier Faure, head of the PS, shook hands yesterday during the May Day demonstration. This morning, LFI has apparently been in discussion with both the Communist Party (Fabien Roussel of the PC said he had set the question of nuclear energy aside; the PC is for, LFI against) and the PS.
This afternoon, the Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste (NPA, trotsko-wokist) gets their turn.

So in theory we might get a united left front this evening, but it will probably drag on for a couple more days. Candidacies for the legislative elections need to be deposited in two weeks.  

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 10:40:31 AM EST
The dinosaurs of the PS (they used to be called elephants, in their glory days; but they are the people who turned the party of Jean Jaurès into a neo-liberal vehicule, resulting in a drastic downsizing) are very cross indeed with Olivier Faure, for negotiating with Mélenchon from the position of weakness they put him in.

A revolt of the remaining PS regional structures is quite likely, with dissident PS candidates running against official left-front candidates.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Mon May 2nd, 2022 at 10:48:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]
It's interesting to see all the brouhaha, if not outright pearl clutching, about this intention of potentially "disobeying" some EU rules.

Seen from Brussels, Politico.eu calls it "surprising".

Other right of center folks in France are whipping up a virtuous indignation, summoning EELV to remove 'Europe' (the first 'E' in EELV) from their name, for the unforgivable sin of hooking up with Mélenchon, who has shown quite a bit of euroskepticism.

It would be of course impolite to point out that "disobeying" some EU rules has been a discussion within EELV for several years, for those who were paying attention: Julien Bayou published a book about it back in 2018.

Also, many in Brussels, at the Parliament or the Commission, could easily point out several "EU rules" that Macron's government has also 'disobeyed', just like previous governments from Hollande or Sarkozy in the past (France is France).

Smaller EU countries haven't failed to notice that it's easier to get away with it when you are one of the biggest EU countries, like France or Germany.

by Bernard (bernard) on Tue May 3rd, 2022 at 05:30:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Note that Julien Bayou was a member of DIEM25 for a couple of years, I met him in Berlin.

And yes, there are issues where "it's OK if you're France or Germany". The main thing is to pull the whole thing in the right direction, rather than pulling exceptionalism.

It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II

by eurogreen on Thu May 5th, 2022 at 03:31:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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