The French Communist Party is preparing to celebrate its centenary - it was founded at the Congress of Tours meeting from December 25 to 30, 1920 - under sad auspices.
After the sinking of the European elections in 2019 (no elected) and the mixed results of the municipal elections (a little more elected, but the loss of historic bastions), the formation of Maurice Thorez sees its presidential horizon right now already threatened.
If Fabien Roussel, elected in 2018 at the head of the party on a line of "autonomy", is gradually approaching a declaration of candidacy, some figures, and not least, have decided, on the contrary, to place all their hopes under the banner of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
This is the case with Gilles Poux, the mayor of La Courneuve (Seine-Saint-Denis), the deputies Elsa Faucillon (Hauts-de-Seine), Marie-George Buffet (Seine-Saint-Denis), former minister and ex- national secretary of the PCF, or even Sébastien Jumel… “We're not going to watch the trains go by.
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There is a space on the left to reconcile melting ice and class struggle, ”had launched the deputy for Seine-Maritime on France Info, in support of the candidacy of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
For Stéphane Peu, deputy for Seine-Saint-Denis, who continues to advocate above all a single candidacy from the left, the number one of the rebels remains the one who, on the left, presents the strengths of "anteriority, experience and the legitimacy ".
Union strategy and electoral choices
Stéphane Peu and Elsa Faucillon had already stood out, during the extraordinary Congress of the PC in November 2018 in Ivry (Val-de-Marne), by supporting the motion - which remained in the minority with 12% of the vote - "For a spring of communism" , favorable to closer ties with the rebels.
Elsa Faucillon, nicknamed "the liquidator" within the party, is also at the origin, with the rebellious member of France Clémentine Autain (Seine-Saint-Denis), of "Fil des commons", an initiative intended to bring the two political formations closer together.
Another “gap” on the part of these “critical” Communists: in the fall of 2018, during the election of the President of the National Assembly - replacing François de Rugy - Marie-George Buffet, Stéphane Peu and Elsa Faucillon , of the eleven PCF deputies of the group, had openly indicated their intention to vote for Mathilde Panot, the rebellious candidate.
Several reasons explain these side steps.
“For some, it is the conviction that only the union behind the most popular candidate, that is to say Mélenchon, can save the left, slips an elected Communist.
For others, it is pure electoralism because supporting the Insubordinate would amount to taking insurance for the legislative elections.
It is also true that if the possible Communist candidate did not reach 5% in the presidential election, the millions spent during the campaign would not be reimbursed by the State, an almost fatal blow for the finances of the PC ...
"I know they are still thinking"
This sling does not fail to bring out of their hinges certain Communist "comrades", for whom there is no question of repeating the painful experience of 2017, when the erasure of the Communist Party in favor of rebellious France had not resulted. on no legislative agreement.
"We would be entitled to expect an attitude more respectful of internal procedures on the part of these elected officials", annoys Fabien Lecomte, who writes in La Riposte, a communist information site.
And this activist to question the need to keep these elected officials their places in the governing bodies of the party.
"We think not", he asserts.
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On the side of the management, however, we want to calm things down. "It is true that some are wondering about our strategy for the presidential election," confides Fabien Roussel.
But, having spoken with most of those who say they support Mélenchon, I know that they are still thinking.
"A reflection nourished by the substantive debates within the PC and whose first conclusions are expected at a national conference on April 10 and 11, 2021." The vote on the principle of an autonomous communist candidacy and on the proposals for nominations will take place on May 9.
Until then, the personalities tempted by Mélenchon can still change their minds, ”wants to believe the party boss ...
