The veteran candidate, who goes to the polls and is in third place, described himself as a political turtle: slow but with the ability to defeat hares at the finish line. “We have a few days and we can feel our fate in our hands. “We know we can push for the most incredible political change of direction imaginable,” she said in a 90-minute speech that touched on 15th-century philosophy, literature and a feminist treatise. “We must break the presidential monarchy and establish the sovereignty of the people. “Everyone has an individual, personal responsibility for Sunday’s result,” he told them. Mélenchon, 70, used special technology to “appear” in 12 places simultaneously on Tuesday. the real Melanson was located in the northern city of Lille, a traditional hotbed of the French left, while hologram incarnations appeared in 11 other cities across the length and breadth of France. This is a high-tech trick used by the leader of the radical La France Insoumise (France Unbowed), who is running for president for the third time, which he used for the first time in his campaign in 2017. The campaign team boasted that the goal was the Mélenchon – the real and the ephemeral – less than 250 kilometers from every French citizen in mainland France. With the first round of the 2022 presidential election approaching this Sunday, Melanson is now the left’s only hope of reaching the second round. Support for the ruling left-wing Parti Socialiste has collapsed, leaving its candidate, Anne Indalgo, the mayor of Paris, with a historically low profile. Ecology-Green candidate Yannick Jadot is in sixth place. Emanuel Macron is at 27%, Marin Le Pen at 23% and Melanson at 16.5%, according to the latest Ifop poll. Mélenchon entered the arena with techno music and a roar from the audience, before passing through the highlights of his program. He promised to make France non-aligned (by withdrawing from NATO) while condemning Russian killings in Ukraine, to end France’s dependence on nuclear energy. freezing of the price of fuel and basic goods; reduction of the retirement age from 62 to 60. introduction of a minimum wage of 1,400 euros per month and treatment of noise, air and other pollution. She also promised feminist-friendly measures, including an end to rampant genocide – a woman being killed by a partner or ex-partner in France every three days. Power, Melanson insisted, had to be with the people and would rule by using citizens’ referendums, one of the demands of the yellow vest movement. Melanson said he would also end the spread of “malbouffe” (snacks) and bring about what he called the “de-globalization” or industrialization of the country. “Do not tell me that we can not make shoes or hats or jeans here that have not traveled halfway around the world. “We can,” he said. The crowd roared. “It is not the unemployed who are responsible for unemployment, nor the sick who are responsible for the health crisis, nor the poor who are responsible for poverty,” he said. “If we get to the second round, we are determined to change the world. That is what we will do if we win this election. “ There have been excavations in Macron and Le Pen on the far right – both are expected to be in the second round. “We see Mrs. Le Pen with her cats, she’s bored, I only have one cactus, which is not so good for Instagram,” said Melanson. The thousands of people queuing outside the Grand Palais in Lille were a mixed crowd of all ages and backgrounds, some loyal Mélenchon supporters, others trying to convince or not. Melanson greets his supporters after his speech in Lille, northern France. Photo: Michel Spingler / AP Marine Dhap, 32, an independent marketing agent from Lille, said she had voted for Mélenchon in the past, but it was the first time she had seen him. “She is in third place and this week will be crucial. It is positive that he is not far behind in the polls, so he has all the chances to be in the second round. His vision is the best on the left and I like his program which is for a more humane system that includes greater wealth sharing. He also has some very good social and green ideas. “ Oliver Genty, 62, a former SNCF driver from the outskirts of Lille, said he had backed Mélenchon in several elections. “I think he is the only one who is for the workers and he is more for the common people than Macron who is from the world of finance,” he said. “I think he could have reached the second round.” Genty said he regretted that “there were too many left-wing parties” that split the vote. “I wish he had made an alliance with the Socialists and the Communist Party.” Jedi said that in the event of a second round by Le Pen against Macron, he would vote for Macron. “I will feel compelled to vote against the far right.” Fabienne Courmont, a 60-year-old cleaner, said she would have trouble voting for Macron. “I will not vote for Marin Lepen, but the idea that she could win makes me afraid. “If I vote, it will not be in favor of Macron, it will be against her.” Antonio Messana, 51, an archivist, Christelle Goffard, 49, a sociologist, and Julie Vanhoye, 44, unemployed, had traveled from Dunkirk, an hour’s drive to see the charismatic radical left-wing leader known for his fiery rhetorical skills. “I am convinced of his ideas. He is the only one who gives us hope. he is smart and positive, not like the other candidates. I hope he enters the second round. “Optimistic,” said Messana. “I am attracted to his social and ecological ideas, especially that there should be a more equal distribution of wealth,” Goffard added. “I would like her to talk about women’s equality.” Vanhoye said she was not yet convinced that she was hesitant between communist candidate Fabien Roussel or Mélenchon. “I came to listen,” he said. Jean-Marc, a 65-year-old teacher, said he had previously been a Socialist Party voter, but did not see the point in voting for a candidate without any chance. “I will vote for him in the first round with the hope that he will succeed and in the second we will have a real left-right debate. “But if Melanson enters the second round, he will have to soften his (radical) stance in order to address others on the Left.” Marthe Bouganim, 27, who works for a human rights association in Lille, appeared with three friends. “I voted for Melanson in 2017 and I have the impression that this time there is more team behind him. It’s not so much a one-man show. surrounded by interesting people “. Mélenchon has been campaigning since the fall of 2020, more than any other presidential candidate, so perhaps fatigue meant that his speech was less inflammatory and inflammatory than his supporters expected. The meeting ended with the performance of Marseillaise. Manon Aubry, a Mélenchon activist and co-chair of the Left in the European Parliament’s parliamentary group, said Mélenchon was now in the “margin of error” in the polls, which meant he had a real chance of making it to the second round. He said the challenge was to mobilize voters in working-class areas where Mélenchon’s support was strong. “Our goal is to show that going to the polls can make a difference,” he said. Mona Rose, 24, a student at Sciences Po in Lille, added: “The majority of young people I know will either vote for Mélenchon or not at all. She said the idea of another second-round Lepen vs. Macron made her “very angry”. “The more I hear about Mélenchon’s program, the more I feel about it. If everyone here convinces some people around them they can do it. I will try to do it until Sunday “.
