Talking about Jean-Luc Mélenchon to officials on the right and on the left is to hear his excesses being denounced and… also to hear praise. Because the Insubordinate, already in the presidential campaign and which gives this Sunday an outdoor meeting in Aubin (Aveyron), arouses in his opponents a certain admiration, at least on the form. Including in government. It is a minister who likes to underline their common points, it is another for whom Jean-Luc Mélenchon is one of the only political leaders "to stand out from the crowd". “He has talent, a great culture, a great historical knowledge, he speaks well, it's really another level! Can't help but recognize this pillar of government.
“But, he adds immediately, Jean-Luc Mélenchon was at his best… four years ago”.
In 2017, he had won his bet by arriving at the head of the left.
But then he had the Communist Party behind him, glances from the socialist candidate Benoît Hamon who, during his first weeks of the campaign, had wanted at all costs to stage a joint dinner.
Today, Mélenchon is released by the PCF and its militants, and many socialists like the former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve openly call "to fight it".
The left wants to stick the image of chief divider to him.
Succeeding in making people forget this image will be one of the challenges of the Insoumis if he wants the Mélenchon 2022 cuvée to be no less good than the 2017 cuvée.