The project is still confidential. But there are about forty intellectuals and high officials working on it for a year now. All of them set out to create a new review of ideas. Published by the committed Bordeaux publisher Le Bord de l'eau, this review called “Germinal”, could see the light of day next fall. It wants to be " the equivalent for the left of the review Commentary of the early 80s ".
In the maneuver, no politicians but intellectuals like the philosophers Dominique Meda or Bruno Karsenti, the historian Thomas Branthôme or the economist Xavier Ragot. A young student orchestrates the ensemble, which is none other than Nathan Cazeneuve, the son of former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve. Aged 24, this normalien, agrégé in philosophy, in the last year at the School of Public Affairs at Sciences Po is about to initiate a thesis on "the social state and the theory of sovereignty".
Cautious in nature, Nathan Cazeneuve refuses to speak until the project is finalized. " His father has nothing to do with this project, " says one of those who were contacted to contribute to the review. A father who cultivates ambiguity about his presidential ambition but who has only appeared discreetly on the socialist terrain of the municipalities and who has remained silent since the Coronavirus crisis.
A "committed and benchmark" socialist review
In a message sent to potential contributors that Le Figaro has obtained, the Germinal review presents itself as " a socialist review, in the theoretical, committed and benchmark sense, capable of opposing a strong and constructed discourse at the limits of liberalism as well as 'to populism and nationalism '. The initiators deplore " the unfortunate and too great weakness of leftist ideas in the public debate in relation to the current social and environmental emergency ".