In Paris, Anne Hidalgo refuses to be humiliated by La France insoumise
The scene takes place on Sunday May 8, on the market in Place de la Réunion, in the 20and District of Paris. Lamia El Aaraje, the former socialist deputy who wants to regain her seat, has been crisscrossing the neighborhood with Lionel Jospin for almost an hour when she comes across Danielle Simonnet, her rival from La France insoumise (LFI). According to the national agreement concluded between the left formations, it is this faithful of Jean-Luc Mélenchon who must designate on the spot the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes).
Only here, in this constituency that they have controlled for a long time, the Socialists do not accept the designation of a “rebellious”, and maintain the candidacy of Lamia El Aaraje. Danielle Simonnet takes her interlocutors to task: “Lionel, Lamia, there is an agreement”she pleads. “I will be by Lamia’s side”replies the former prime minister. “But dissidence, what is the meaning in the face of Macron? », asks Danielle Simonnet. “In this case, it will not be a dissident candidacy but a legitimate one”, replies the socialist. He leaves on his side.
Two candidates from the left where there should be only one. Socialists who threaten LFI with a dissident candidacy. No doubt it is there, on this small square in a working-class district, that the news brought about in Paris by the presidential election is best read. In the capital, Anne Hidalgo has long been the master of the game on the left. The socialists dominated their camp, and nothing moved without the green light from the mayor. Since her disastrous score in the first round – 1.75% throughout France, barely better (2.17%) across Paris – she has lost control.
In its own city, it is no longer in a position to impose either its political line or its candidates. After having implored Jean-Luc Mélenchon to reconsider his decision concerning the 20and district to make way for Lamia El Aaraje, the Socialists are reduced to waiting for the verdict of the new strong man of the left. On the LFI side, on the contrary, we are delighted: “In Paris, it is not impossible that we win several constituencies in the first round”, forward its militants.
Unable to block deal
Anne Hidalgo had however taken it well in advance. As of December 9, 2021, the Parisian sections of the Socialist Party (PS) had nominated their candidates for the legislative elections. On the list, many relatives of Anne Hidalgo, including six of her assistants. The catastrophic result of the presidential election upsets this plan. Even before the second round, the mayor of Paris understands that, to have a chance of success in the legislative elections, she will have to make room for the other left-wing parties. It then envisages a local agreement with its traditional allies, the ecologists and the communists, and begins maneuvers of approach. No success. “The legislative elections are a national exam, so you have to negotiate at the national level,” both respond to him. The exclusive LFI Parisian agreement project falls through.
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