The PS definitely never stops tearing itself apart internally.
While socialists and rebels have never been so close to uniting for the legislative elections under the banner of the New Popular, Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), 1,000 local and national PS officials have challenged Olivier Faure, the Prime party secretary, to protest against the rapprochement with the formation of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
Entitled "Let's make our voice heard", the missive from the mayor of Vaulx-en-Velin (Rhône) Hélène Geoffroy and ratified by hundreds of other socialist executives denounces a "surrender" of the PS against LFI.
The signatories thus join the rebellious movement constituted by the tenors of the party, like François Hollande, Jean-Christophe Cambadélis or Stéphane Le Foll, opposed from the start to any union led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
“It is not a negotiation or an agreement that is proposed”
“Since the vote in the first round of the presidential election, the leaders of LFI have clearly affirmed that no alliance under the colors of the Popular Union was possible without rallying to their programme.
It is not a negotiation or an agreement that is proposed, it is a surrender”, denounce the authors.
This would be a "support for the ambition of Jean-Luc Mélenchon to accede to the office of Prime Minister (which) constitutes, in fact, a submission to their program", write the signatories.
According to them, the PS must in no case agree to disobey the European treaties, leave NATO, leave nuclear power by dismantling the EPR projects or even deny the previous socialist governments, according to the terms used.
Read alsoAgreement between LFI and EELV: can we really disobey the European treaties without damage?
Officials advocate a "vote of all (the) members"
According to the officials, the activists would also oppose the "format of the discussions with LFI", rather wishing for a "vote of all (the) members" and a presentation of the text in the National Council at the end of the negotiations.
Several members of the national bodies of the PS are among the signatories.
Among them, we find in particular the former Marseille deputy Patrick Mennucci, the former senator and deputy of Puy-de-Dôme Alain Néri, the mayor of Vitrolles Loïc Gachon, the regional councilor of Île-de-France François Kalfon or even the former deputy of Val-d'Oise Philippe Doucet.
Neither the name of the president of Occitania Carole Delga, nor that of the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo appear among them.