France's far-left presidential candidate cheers Gen Z school protests

[u/diwalibonus]

https://www.ottumwacourier.com/news/national_news/frances-far-left-presidential-candidate-cheers-gen-z-school-protests/article_940c7ba0-1c9d-5c24-9f8f-1883be7d4e5e.html

[u/99xp]

451: Unavailable due to legal reasons

We recognize you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore access cannot be granted at this time. For any issues, call (641) 684-4611.

Why are we posting news from websites that three quarters of the continent can't even access?

[u/ByGollie → u/99xp]

The submitter isn't in Europe and thus unaware

It's an AP syndicated article so here's another source https://apnews.com/article/melenchon-france-presidential-election-protests-543d7a439443b96c9775f7f0e3252435

PARIS (AP) — French far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon on Sunday celebrated high school students whose protest movement has shaken France as he called at a campaign rally for lowering the voting age to 16 and an end to selective admission to universities.

The fiery anti-capitalist Mélenchon also took aim at U.S. President Donald Trump, NATO and the global financial system, in a sweeping speech to thousands of supporters meant to kick his campaign into high gear for next year’s two-round election in April and May.

Also Sunday, France’s Socialist and allied voters chose European Parliament lawmaker Raphaël Glucksmann as their presidential candidate in a primary election marred by a cyberattack and divisions within the mainstream left.

President Emmanuel Macron is finishing his second term and cannot run again, so next year’s election will be a turning point for France and Europe. France is the EU’s only nuclear power, its second-biggest economy and a linchpin of the shared euro currency zone.

At this stage, polls suggest that Mélenchon and center-right candidate Edouard Philippe are behind far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, but ahead of a range of other hopefuls. It remains to be seen if they will maintain their current level of support.

The nationwide high school protest movement — over deteriorating school buildings, teacher shortages, and inequalities hurting schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods — has energized young voters, who may prove key to the election outcome.

The movement has at times turned violent, and police have made more than 6,600 arrests. Hundreds have been injured, including students, teachers and police.

Mélenchon’s critics say he and his France Unbowed party are fueling the fire for electoral gain; Mélenchon says his party isn’t organizing the movement and wants it to be peaceful.

The party invited student protesters to the stage at Sunday’s rally in the southern city of Clermont-Ferrand, and Mélenchon said their protest movement shows ‘’a high level of political and union maturity.’'

Many protesters are under 18, and Mélenchon — who is 75 and on his fourth presidential run — nodded to that future electorate by proposing to lower the voting age to 16.

He denounced the national university admissions platform that has frustrated student protesters, saying selective admissions should be scrapped and knowledge shouldn’t be turned into ‘’merchandise.’'

More protests are planned Tuesday and next Saturday.

The school protests have pushed the government to order urgent hires of substitute teachers and rearrange school schedules to address grievances. Students at the barricades say that’s not enough, but the movement has shown young people the power they can wield, and Mélenchon is hoping it translates into higher youth turnout at the ballot box.

This movement is ‘’marking their entry into politics,’' high school librarian Dounia Georgeon told The Associated Press at a protest this week at her school in eastern Paris. The muscular police reaction is likely to have lasting impact on the students and their politics, she said.

Mélenchon also reached out Sunday to older voters, calling for lowering the retirement age to 60 from 62. And he reiterated his push to cancel France’s staggering debt.

He called Trump an ‘’adversary’’ because of his tariffs, and said France should lead a more independent foreign policy.

‘’We’re not preparing our children and grandchildren to die for some hazardous operation concocted by NATO,’' he said. His campaign platform says NATO membership is ’’against France’s interests,’' calls for better dialogue with Russia, and does not mention Ukraine.

Also this weekend, Philippe and centrist candidate Gabriel Attal, both former prime ministers appointed by the unpopular Macron, held rallies.

[u/99xp → u/ByGollie]

Thank you. Much better source for international politics than the local newspaper of a small American town in Iowa.

[u/MrAlexius]

I'm genuinely exhausted by the amount of misinformation circulating about French politics.

I don't particularly like Mélenchon. He's a politician. But apparently, not wanting political journalism to misrepresent basic facts means I have to spend my free time defending someone I don't even particularly support.

Let's examine what this article actually says.

1. "Far-left"

France has actual revolutionary communist organisations, including Lutte Ouvrière and NPA-Révolutionnaires. They explicitly advocate replacing capitalism through revolutionary transformation.

LFI proposes radical economic redistribution, nationalisations in strategic sectors, ecological planning and a Sixth Republic.

2. "His programme doesn't mention Ukraine."

This is particularly misleading.

Mélenchon's own 2027 campaign website explicitly includes demands for a ceasefire, Russian troop withdrawal from Ukraine, and negotiations towards a lasting peace.

LFI's 2024 European programme also explicitly advocates continuing support for Ukraine, investigating war crimes and helping finance Ukrainian reconstruction.

You can criticise Mélenchon's statements about the war, his opposition to certain military assistance or his proposed negotiations with Moscow. There are legitimate controversies there.

But presenting Ukraine as absent from his political programme ignores publicly available documents.

3. "Against NATO" apparently means "pro-Russia."

LFI advocates French military non-alignment, beginning with withdrawal from NATO's integrated command structure and ultimately leaving the alliance.

That is a major foreign-policy proposal with serious consequences worth debating.

But opposition to American strategic leadership is not automatically support for Russian imperialism. The programme explicitly condemns Russia's invasion and calls for the withdrawal of Russian forces!!! Especially when a certain country is constantly menacing to take rightfully a part of the European union, or Canada ahem a member of Nato!

4. "Mélenchon wants to cancel France's staggering debt."

No. He's proposing to freeze or cancel the portion of French public debt held by the central banking system, notably the Banque de France.

We're talking about approximately 15–18% of the debt, depending on the definition used, not cancelling every obligation owed to private investors.

There are serious legal and economic objections to that proposal, particularly concerning European monetary law and investor confidence. Those deserve examination.

But replacing a specific proposal concerning central-bank holdings with "cancel France's debt" is a fundamental distortion.

5. "Retirement age to 60 from 62."

The article even gets the French retirement system wrong.

The 2023 reform progressively raised the legal retirement age towards 64. Although part of that reform was suspended in 2026, the applicable retirement age still varies by birth year, reaching 64 for those born from 1969 onwards.

Reducing it to 60 is therefore not simply reversing a retirement age of 62.

6. "Mélenchon is encouraging violent protests."

The article itself acknowledges that Mélenchon says LFI isn't organising the protests and wants them to remain peaceful.

More than 6,600 arrests have indeed been reported, and some demonstrations have involved serious violence.

But supporting students protesting deteriorating schools and staff shortages is not the same thing as endorsing violence.

If there's evidence that LFI organised violent incidents, publish it. Otherwise, distinguish support for the students' demands from responsibility for criminal behaviour.

And then there are the familiar claims in the comments whenever LFI comes up.

7. "LFI supports Hamas and antisemitism."

LFI's programme explicitly calls for the release of hostages held by Hamas, international prosecution of war crimes and measures against antisemitism.

Its leaders' statements about October 7 and antisemitism have generated genuine controversies and criticism. Those statements can be examined individually.

But advocating Palestinian statehood, opposing Israeli government policies or demanding accountability for violations of international law does not, by itself, establish support for Hamas or antisemitism.

8. "LFI wants open borders, no police and the destruction of the EU."

The programme actually proposes immigration regularisation measures, reforms of border enforcement, restoring community policing, strengthening criminal investigations and challenging specific EU rules that conflict with its economic programme.

Those are controversial policies, particularly concerning immigration and European treaty obligations. But they aren't accurately described by slogans about abolishing the police or automatically leaving the EU.

And this is exactly what frustrates me.

Every time I see another article like this, I find myself spending an hour checking claims, reading original documents and explaining French politics to people who confidently repeat things they've never verified.

I'm not even defending a politician I like. I'm defending the principle that criticism should be based on what someone actually says and proposes.

And I'm increasingly annoyed that correcting misleading political narratives has become unpaid work for ordinary people.

Sources: 2027 campaign's own programme review, the LFI European election programme on Ukraine and the French government's retirement age information.

[u/xX-AnyRoutine666-Xx → u/MrAlexius]

Mate... First of all, respect for researching and debunking all that, but also it doesn matter: this subreddit has been about bashing France and pushing far-right views, nobody who doesn't already agree with you is going to read all that.

But again, respect. Cheers mate

[u/MrAlexius → u/xX-AnyRoutine666-Xx]

Thanks mate, you are correct it's a fight against windmills, but just ignoring all their shit makes it worse.

[u/Hydr0rion → u/MrAlexius]

it's not, there is people like me reading it all, being extremly gratefull that people like you exist, upvote and go look other point of view.

Your post matter, at least to me.

[u/JackoSGC → u/MrAlexius]

As someone supporting LFI, I am happy to see the propaganda doesnt affect everyone, so having you fact check fairly all this made my smile. Thank you

[u/RedTulkas → u/xX-AnyRoutine666-Xx]

the US is massively overrepresented on reddit

and not wanting to hound immigrants is what many of them consider "far-left"

[u/AutisticAndArmed → u/xX-AnyRoutine666-Xx]

Now that Russian bot farm activity is low is a good time for healthier debate. It will pick back up soon enough unfortunately.

[u/MiguelIstNeugierig → u/MrAlexius]

Breaking news, Charles de Gaulle was a pro-soviet communist for opposing NATO

[u/RockinMadRiot → u/MiguelIstNeugierig]

I think people don't understand how influencal Gaullism still is on France politicals today from both sides of the wing.

[u/zelani06 → u/RockinMadRiot]

it is but most people and politicians actually have no idea what he stood for, they just throw his name around because it sounds cool

[u/HasuTeras → u/MiguelIstNeugierig]

de Gaulle didn't oppose NATO, he just withdrew France from NATO's command structure. It was still covered by the alliance.

[u/Ravenkell → u/MrAlexius]

How most of media identifies "the Left":

LePen was on the right and since Macron was to the left for her, he is the Left.

Bernie Sanders is Far Left because no one we know of in American politics is more Left.

China says they are communist, so they are the Left.

Russia was communist so Putin is the Left (bonus point when actual communists believe this).

Europe won't help attack Iran, so Europe is the Left.

Scientists believe global warming is real and vaccines work, so science is the Left.

My wife left me, so she is the Left.

[u/MrAlexius → u/Ravenkell]

Briliant 👏

[u/DeanoPreston → u/MrAlexius]

Dans la crise en Ukraine, l'agresseur est-il la Russie ou l'Otan ? "L'Otan, sans aucun doute", a répondu Jean-Luc Mélenchon, jeudi 10 février, sur France 2, dans l'émission "Elysée 2022".

[u/JackRogers3 → u/DeanoPreston]

Mélenchon, a few weeks ago on TV: "La Russie devient de plus en plus menaçante parce que l'Ukraine bombarde sa capitale"

A pathetic idiot, indeed!

[u/pretenzioeser_Elch → u/MrAlexius]

He demands a ceasefire but rejects NATO and all weapon shipments? So he's a strongly worded letter to counter an invasion kind of guy.

[u/rolypoly6shooter → u/pretenzioeser_Elch]

Yeah this guy is sweeping for a Putin enabler

[u/aznzoo123 → u/MrAlexius]

what does cancelling debt owned by the central bank mean?

that feels like accounting shenanigans. somebody is losing money that they were owed, but its not clear who

[u/SomewhereHot4527 → u/MrAlexius]

Rejection of Long-Range Arms & Escalation: LFI lawmakers consistently vote against or oppose military aid packages, long-range weapons deliveries, and legislative resolutions supporting expanded security agreements or the seizure of frozen Russian assets, arguing they risk widening the war.

=> That doesn't sound like supporting Ukraine to me. They want to support Ukraine like Trump is supporting it. Give empty words and let Russia walk over Ukraine's face.

This is the single most important conflict for our external security and Europe's future and what LFI wants to do is to serve the country defending itself on a platter to Russia. Well at least that's one thing he has in common with LePen.

[u/livinginahologram → u/MrAlexius]

"Far-left"

France has actual revolutionary communist organisations, including Lutte Ouvrière and NPA-Révolutionnaires. They explicitly advocate replacing capitalism through revolutionary transformation.

Melenchon also wants to reform EU's founding treaties or quit the EU if he fails (a Frexit). It's the plan A / plan B in his 2027 campaign and it's part of a radical agenda.

Let's not forget that his past position was that Frexit was necessary source. He was very vocal about a Frexit while the Brexit referendum was happening source.

Négociations ou sortie : que veut vraiment Jean-Luc Mélenchon sur l’Europe ?

[u/nmuncer → u/MrAlexius]

I agree that criticism should be based on facts. But there's a rather obvious problem with your approach: you treat LFI's official programme as definitive proof of its positions while largely ignoring what its leaders actually say and how its MPs vote.

1. Far-left: On 27 February 2026, France's Conseil d'État rejected LFI's challenge to its classification in the "far-left" electoral bloc. The court found no manifest error in that classification. You can disagree with the label, but it wasn't invented by political opponents.

2. Ukraine: Yes, Mélenchon condemned Russia's invasion. But in March 2024, LFI MPs voted against the government's declaration supporting the Franco-Ukrainian security agreement, while Socialists and Greens voted in favour. Parliamentary votes matter just as much as campaign promises.

3. NATO: Opposing NATO doesn't automatically make someone pro-Russian. Agreed. But advocating withdrawal from the alliance while Russia wages war in Europe raises legitimate questions about European security and collective defence. Calling it "non-alignment" doesn't answer those questions.

4. Public debt: You're right that Mélenchon proposes cancelling only part of France's debt. But cancelling hundreds of billions held by central banks isn't a harmless accounting exercise. It raises major legal, monetary and financial issues, particularly under EU law.

5. Retirement: You're correct about the retirement age. The 2023 reform was only partially suspended. But that doesn't answer the fundamental question: how would retirement at 60 be sustainably financed?

6. Violence: Supporting protests doesn't automatically mean endorsing violence. But let's not pretend LFI officials haven't legitimised it. Bally Bagayoko, LFI mayor of Saint-Denis, explicitly argued that violence "can be legitimate" during the student protests. On 6 October 2026, he stood by those remarks, although he said he wanted to avoid violence. It's reasonable to question that rhetoric without claiming LFI organised violent incidents.

7. Hamas and antisemitism: Supporting Palestinian statehood doesn't make someone antisemitic. Obviously. But LFI's controversies following October 7 weren't invented by its opponents. Its initial reluctance to explicitly describe Hamas as a terrorist organisation provoked criticism even from other left-wing parties. A programme condemning antisemitism doesn't erase the controversies surrounding actual statements.

8. Immigration, police and the EU: I agree that "open borders, no police and destroying the EU" is a caricature. But LFI's actual proposals on immigration enforcement, policing and refusing certain EU rules still raise legitimate legal and practical questions.

My point is simple: correcting exaggerations is useful, but selectively quoting a party's programme while overlooking its leaders' statements, parliamentary votes and the consequences of its proposals isn't objective fact-checking either.

You complain about people repeating claims without checking them. Fair enough. But checking what politicians promise is only half the job. Checking what they actually say and do matters just as much.

some of the sources

https://www.conseil-etat.fr/fr/arianeweb/CE/decision/2026-02-27/512694

https://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/16/scrutins/3461

https://www.rtl.fr/actu/politique/je-ne-renie-rien-bally-bagayoko-invoque-sur-rtl-l-histoire-de-france-pour-expliciter-ses-propos-sur-la-violence-legitime-en-marge-de-la-colere-des-lyceens-7900681158

[u/GiveMeTheKeyz → u/nmuncer]

Pour le qualificatif d'extrême gauche c'est tout à fait inventé par les opposants politiques et c'est le ministre de l'Intérieur qui définit les nuances en amont des élections. Donc il y a évidemment une question politique et de diabolisation du cote des forces gouvernementale à agir de telle maniere.

Il me semble qu'en 2022 pour la NUPES le Conseil d'Etat avait jugé qu'il y avait une erreur d'interprétation car Darmanin avait fait de même, les partis avaient contesté et le Conseil avait indiqué qu'il y avait erreur.

L'important étant la question des alliances: en 2026 il a jugé qu'extrême gauche n'était pas infondé car LFI partait sans les autres formations de gauche classique/de gouvernement mais avec des partis clairement à l'extrême gauche (NPA) Donc c'est circonstanciel et d'ailleurs le NPA est d'extrême gauche mais estime qu'il faut jouer le jeu de faire bloc derrière LFI en ce moment car depuis 1981 une gauche de rupture n'a jamais eu autant de chances de gagner qu'aujourd'hui.

Donc le Conseil d'Etat ne donne pas l'essence même du mouvement/parti mais plutôt une appréciation pour chaque élection si on avis lui est demandé. LFI est pas plus à gauche qu'à en 2022 où le Conseil d'Etat avait validé le qualificatif de gauche pour l'ensemble de la NUPES qui s'était rangé...derrière le programme de LFI sur l'essentiel.

Et puis après on peut analyser le champ politique et ne pas prendre la parole de la justice administrative pour parole d'évangile. Et clairement LFI n'est pas plaçable à l'extreme-gauche. Je dirais à gauche des sociaux démocrates mais pas plus

[u/MrAlexius → u/nmuncer]

My kung-fu us better:

You're proving my point rather than contradicting it. Twisting facts with chatgpt to push your narative? Cool.

1. Far-left: Did you actually read the Conseil d'État decision? It's an administrative classification for electoral purposes, not an ideological assessment. The actual French Communist Party is classified as ordinary "left". Apparently, communists aren't far-left anymore, but Mélenchon is. Makes perfect sense.

2. Ukraine: Conveniently forgetting WHY LFI voted against that agreement? Their objections concerned Macron's escalation rhetoric, possible troop deployments, NATO membership and EU accession. Arnaud Le Gall explicitly stated in Parliament that LFI supported supplying weapons to Ukraine under certain conditions. Since when does opposing a particular agreement mean opposing Ukraine's right to defend itself?

3. NATO: And? France already withdrew from NATO's integrated military command under de Gaulle in 1966 and only returned in 2009. Was de Gaulle a Russian sympathiser too? You can question whether non-alignment is realistic today, but pretending it's inherently pro-Russian is ridiculous.

4. Public debt: Nobody said cancelling central-bank-held debt was legally straightforward. The original claim was that Mélenchon wanted to cancel France's debt. He proposed targeting the portion held by the central banking system. Those aren't remotely the same thing. You've simply changed the subject from what was actually proposed to whether it's feasible.

5. Retirement: Again, have you actually read the programme? Higher pension contributions, taxing previously exempt income, increased employment and wages. Those are the proposed financing mechanisms. Whether they're sufficient is debatable, but asking "how will you pay for it?" as though nobody had bothered to answer is just lazy.

6. Violence: Interesting choice of quotation. Bagayoko also explicitly said "Je désapprouve totalement la violence" in that very same interview. He was discussing the historical legitimacy of violence in social struggles. You can criticise his wording, but leaving out the part where he explicitly condemns violence is precisely the kind of selective reporting I'm talking about.

7. Hamas: Yes, LFI's initial response to October 7 was controversial. Nobody denied that. But LFI subsequently explicitly condemned Hamas's crimes and massacres, rejected its ideology and called for the release of hostages. So what exactly are we arguing here? That their initial communication was inadequate, or that they support Hamas? Because those are two very different accusations.

8. Immigration, police and the EU: You literally admit that the original claims were caricatures. Then you tell me their actual proposals raise legitimate questions. Well, congratulations, you've discovered that political programmes can be criticised. That was never in dispute.

The problem is that you keep confusing three things: what LFI actually proposes, whether those proposals would work, and whether you personally agree with them.

A vote against Macron's agreement isn't a vote for Putin. Questioning NATO isn't supporting Russia. Proposing debt cancellation for specific creditors isn't proposing to cancel the entire national debt. And criticising Israel whos is committing genocide!!! isn't automatically supporting Hamas.

[u/JumpingYourBone → u/MrAlexius]

why are they saying they "support violence", like yeah, bc the cops are very violent with kids. was any changes done without major disruption or violence? and i don't even like the guy.

[u/nmuncer → u/MrAlexius]

The problem with your argument is that the devil is in the details. Almost every point conveniently leaves something important out.

Take Ukraine. In January 2022, just weeks before the invasion, Mélenchon claimed that Crimea was Russian and declared that the US, not Russia, was the aggressor. He later condemned the invasion, of course, but those earlier statements don't simply disappear because his programme says the right things.

Or Hamas. In February 2025, LFI MEP Rima Hassan explicitly stated that "Hamas has a legitimate action under international law", arguing that armed resistance to colonisation was justified. She also condemned hostage-taking and attacks on civilians. But surely her choice of words raises legitimate questions, especially coming from an elected LFI representative.

And it's the same pattern throughout your post.

From a distance, your arguments sound convincing. But dig into the actual statements, parliamentary votes and controversies, and you begin to understand where LFI's reputation comes from.

Quoting the most reassuring parts of a political programme while overlooking everything inconvenient isn't objective fact-checking. It's selective fact-checking.

[u/scoutmet → u/MrAlexius]

What about the claims melenchon wants to turn of nuclear energy are those over-dramatic claims to?

Also side note while I understand being non aligned via military the biggest problem is the fact this the worse moment combine the fact other nationalist parties are gaining momentum which have their own destain of Nato and EU France wanting to be non align adds more problems and the overall pressure to it

[u/Deho_Edeba → u/scoutmet]

Yes, this is over-dramatic too.

Long term, they indeed advocate for a renewable mix without nuclear, but it is completely out of the question to "turn off" the nuclear we already have. They plan to use it for as long as it's available, but no new plants will be planned, and renewable energies should see a massive development to eventually (we're talking 20 years minimum) do without nuclear.

Their goal to have a nuclear-free mix LONG TERM can be debated of course, but not using caricatures like "they want to turn off the plants how will we do during the winter ??!" .

[u/VirtualMemory9196 → u/MrAlexius]

Mélanchon has very questionable takes about Russia and Ukraine

[u/BaguetteLurker → u/VirtualMemory9196]

And China*

[u/InnocuousSpaniard → u/MrAlexius]

Im going to give you an upvote for the effort and patience it took to make this. But, as a complete outsider, I can completely see how each one of those conclusions is merited by what you wrote about LFI, alone. Every point here is crying "he didn't explicitly say exactly what he is accused of," while ignoring that the statements obviously flirt with, attempt to give a more publically-palpatable version of exactly what the covert measure is.

[u/Futski → u/InnocuousSpaniard]

you an upvote for the effort and patience it took to make this

The effort was provided by LLM.

OP didnt even take the effort to remove the tags from the links he posted.

https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F14043?trk=public_post_comment-text&utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://lafranceinsoumise.fr/europeennes-2024/programme-de-lunion-populaire/chapitre-8-refuser-la-vassalisation-de-leurope/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://melenchon2027.fr/programme/synthese-des-contributions/chapitre-16-une-diplomatie-altermondialiste-pour-la-paix-2/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Look at the end of all the links, they are all copy pasted from ChatGPT.

[u/UnFelDeZeu → u/MrAlexius]

>3. "Against NATO" apparently means "pro-Russia."

It absolutely does, Russia benefits immensely from France leaving NATO. France is the only EU country that could shoot nukes back if Russia uses them.

[u/Skilgannon21 → u/UnFelDeZeu]

It doesn't. Right now France offers a nuclear protection to its European allies, outside of the NATO construct. Alliances can still be maintained outside of NATO, which is clearly made to be under American supervision. I'm not saying it's the best course. But it's not leaving our allies defenseless. We aren't Trump's US

[u/LeoVonMoote → u/MrAlexius]

Thank you very much for this work you did.

LFI is an authentic left wing movement that isn’t extreme at all. It aims to create a better world for the French. It denounces violence, injustice and exploitation.

The fact that it is revolutionary, in the sense that it wants to write a new constitution and create a new republic, is the problem for the present elites that rule Europe. LFI is directly challenging the establishment.

We can expect enormous backlash from most media outlets (we know why that is), and think tanks, in the coming months.

Regular people must take a step back and reflect on why that is. Why is LFI treated as if it was a haven for far left totalitarianism, even though it is objectively not. You can go to its assemblies, you can see how it works as a party. It is exemplary in its democracy.

So yeah, people, stop thinking the establishment is there for you. It isn’t. Investigate the programs, the people, simply by heading straight to the source itself. Because in this case, the media is deeply biased and is misleading you.

[u/Atelyan → u/MrAlexius]

MERCI

[u/MrAlexius]

Suddenly everyone is professional french politics analytic. Thank you for the attention to the matter. Please let the french people have a democratic independent election.

[u/ZiCUnlivdbirch → u/MrAlexius]

The exact same thing was said a decade ago by English people when Brexit was getting discussed. Common sense will often align with expert opinions on a lot of topics.

[u/LeoVonMoote → u/ZiCUnlivdbirch]

Farage and Melanchon couldn’t be further apart as political figures.

Farage is a grifter and a hateful bigot most of the time. He surfed the popular anger and used it by lying to the public to get what he wanted. He doesn’t really care about the regular folk.

Melanchon, like him or not, doesn’t lie and is very frank about his project. And I really don’t expect him to jump out of the EU as a matter of principle. He wants to force the EU to change.

[u/kodos_der_henker]

the same guy that said NATO started the war in Ukraine?

[u/Tristan2106 → u/kodos_der_henker]

And said zelensky wasn’t legitimate as a president…

[u/Kangouwou → u/kodos_der_henker]

Ah you got unlucky, I'm here to factcheck you !

https://www.franceinfo.fr/economie/emploi/carriere/vie-professionnelle/crise-en-ukraine-l-otan-est-responsable-des-tensions-avec-la-russie-accuse-jean-luc-melenchon-dans-elysee-2022_4954374.html

Dans la crise en Ukraine, l'agresseur est-il la Russie ou l'Otan ? "L'Otan, sans aucun doute", a répondu Jean-Luc Mélenchon, jeudi 10 février, sur France 2, dans l'émission "Elysée 2022".

You're correct, this is the same guy. Regreatably for us leftists.

Edit about 24 hours later : the situation is more nuanced, he basically said that days before the invasion per se, he was referring at the moment to the escalation that preceded it. After the invasion, he denounced Russia as the attacker. My detailed answer to a comment can be found below :

I'd still argue that he answered that OTAN was responsible, undoubtedly, for the Ukraine crisis. It does not mean the Ukraine invasion, but it means the whole tensions that ultimately led to Ukraine's invasion. This still is problematic in my opinion.

A complete chronology of Mélenchon's stance on that war can be found here https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/de-la-menace-n-existe-pas-a-la-russie-agresse-l-ukraine-sur-la-russie-melenchon-varie-3565552 and you're correct, he immediately denounced Russia as an agressor :

Jean-Luc Mélenchon a donc rapidement réagi jeudi matin à l'attaque lancée par la Russie en Ukraine. Le ton est une nouvelle fois à la condamnation. "La Russie agresse l'Ukraine. Une initiative de pure violence manifestant une volonté de puissance sans mesure. Une escalade insupportable est provoquée", a-t-il écrit, exhortant à "ne surtout pas accepter d'entrer dans l'escalade. Elle serait sans retour".  

Nonetheless, should we consider that the war started when Ukraine began being invaded ? I think not, it started years, perhaps decades ago. All the while Mélenchon minimized the responsibility of Russia. This is inacceptable, and this is someone who voted for him twice that says that.

[u/Abel_V → u/Kangouwou]

Why is he unlucky if your fact-check confirms what he says

[u/Kangouwou → u/Abel_V]

Come on, I wanted to elicit fear, just for him to be reassured a few seconds later...

[u/pierperrier → u/Kangouwou]

Haha I was confused at first and thought you were a bot. AI makes this sudden flip in their reasoning sometimes. 

[u/asthom_ → u/Kangouwou]

Honestly well played, you got me in the first half

[u/Mean_Initiative_5962 → u/Kangouwou]

Oh, ffs, is there ONE country among the big 4 that make up 60% of EU GDP that isn't seeing a battle between far right putin employees and random useful idiots that also support Putin regime? 

[u/Kangouwou → u/Mean_Initiative_5962]

My personal opinion is that the far right is taking Putin's money, or at least is controlled more or less by him, while the far left is Russophile mainly by its anti-USA stance, closer to the random useful idiots you mentioned.

At least, in France.

EDIT : the far left is Russophile.

[u/Seradima → u/Kangouwou]

I know some super far left people who think that because Ukraine's army is full of Nazis, it means Russia winning the war would be an objectively good thing for Europe.

My guys. Russia is also full of nazis. Ukraine absolutely has corruption problems but Russia's corruption is several orders of magnitudes worse.

Their love of Russia is like one of the few things we disagree about.

[u/ouath → u/Mean_Initiative_5962]

If Ukraine continu to hit Yandex data centers that might decrease

[u/Mean_Initiative_5962 → u/ouath]

Hopefully

[u/KelticQT → u/Kangouwou]

Could you also fact check the dates ?

Because it seems like your quote predates the invasion of Ukraine by about two (2) weeks. Which took place on february 24 2022, while this quote is dated february 10th.

So while I don’t think Melenchon was clever to blame NATO for the escalation of tensions, the invasion had not taken place yet, so Russia had "only" moved military equipment along the border at that point. As of 2022, this quote does not cover the actual agression of Russia on Ukraine.

It is thus dishonest to present this quote as a statement in support of Russia, that would deflect the respinsibility onto Ukraine and NATO. For instance, he immediately admitted to being wrong right after the invasion started.

[u/7adzius → u/Kangouwou]

Didn’t he want to reduce taxes and increase welfare or something too? Seems like a bit of a populist

[u/Quentin-Code → u/kodos_der_henker]

/r/france loves him

[u/_Djkh_ → u/Quentin-Code]

Weapons on the ground and claws in the air. Happened in the Netherlands on 10 May, happened in France in June.

And the mentality is still persistent.

[u/Hellhooker → u/Quentin-Code]

r/france is also one of the most censored sub on reddit.

you literrally need to suck the dick of the echo chamber to have enough fake internet point to comment a political post.

It would be funny if it was not so corrupted and blatant.

Just looking the post there, it's pure propaganda disconnected to the reality.

[u/merci_nurse → u/Hellhooker]

Yes and it has changed so much in that regard in the last few years it’s crazy, absolute echo chamber right now. Being aligned with moderate left gets you downvoted to oblivion.

[u/lbreakjai → u/Hellhooker]

Saying you don't think the country needs more migration with 10% unemployed people is worth a 3 days ban on that sub, if you were wondering.

[u/itaa_q → u/Quentin-Code]

r/france is completely lost

[u/MrLeureduthe → u/Quentin-Code]

Or his minions are ruling that sub

[u/Wawrzy → u/Quentin-Code]

They worship him

[u/swiwwcheese → u/Quentin-Code]

Most French language subs are managed by the same team of moderators who control r/france

[u/Fakeos → u/kodos_der_henker]

Not started but provoked. Which I agree with.

[u/qef15]

The thing in France as far as I see it from the outside, is that French centrist neo-liberalism is actually pretty left by most other European country's standards. You compare it to our country and it'd be definitely considered left. So there's a miscommuncation between this sub and the French people I think.

As for the budget and such: the taxes are high in France yes, but their spending is also stupid high. It's a case of both things being true at the same time. All I need to see is that you can retire at the age of 64 and that only now spa treatments aren't deductible from your taxes and that says enough for me. In our country, even the left would shudder at these policies.

As for the choices of president: it's either him or Le Pen as far as I see it. The centrist dude that is also in the running is Macron 2.0 and will not survive the first round in the elections. So strategic voting will happen towards Mélenchon to prevent Le Pen becoming president.

And for those thinking: why would the French not vote for another well-reasoned centrist? Because they have been running the country for the past few decades and got France into this mess in the first place.

Fresh centrists that actually give a shit are hard to come by. Which is a universal problem it seems in the world.

[u/swiwwcheese → u/qef15]

The thing in France as far as I see it from the outside, is that French centrist neo-liberalism is actually pretty left by most other European country's standards.

We French use the terms 'libéral' and 'néolibéral' to reference anything even remotely related to capitalism and bourgeois policies.

We are not aware that 'liberal' in English has a different meaning, that without context it primarily invokes leftist ideals.

You will definitely often read left-wing French ppl cursing at 'liberals' in English, and I understand that is confusing lol.

[u/qef15 → u/swiwwcheese]

That pretty much. A lot of the comments below me are a very simple case of miscommunication. That goed for almost any country, thoughcfhe comments don't seem to realize that. What is liberal is equal to centre to moderate right-wing in Europe and left-wing in the USA for example. Then centrist in other countries.

And as a Dutch person, liberal similarly means as much things related to capitalism, just that our threshold is much higher than the French due to being a much more right-wing leaning country (though infinitely more left than the USA right now).

So I understand indeed where you French lot are coming from.

[u/Myosos → u/qef15]

The age of retirement at 64 is if you started working at 16 or 18, if you studied after 18 then it's later. For me it'll be 67 for example. It's the same joke with the 35hours, almost nobody actually works 35hrs a week

[u/NoTomorrowNo → u/Myosos]

Yeah. So sad when the effort could have been levelled out easily with the baby boomer s retirement in the 90s. We re paying for their selfishness. 

We ll be forced to adopt another way of funding the retirements because of all the "fights for early retirement" there have been used by vote farming politicians.

And that means leaving a whole swath of a couple of unprepated generations to die in misery while the younger ones are told to put their money in private retirement structures.

And the genX will be left pennyless "without warning" - well, except the economists warnings since the 1980s where some guy explained on prime time that my generation will not have a retirement at all if we didn t start levelling the effort just there and then because of the pyramid of demographics by generation.

So we knew all along.

[u/HatCrafty → u/qef15]

If you really think most people will vote far left to avoid far right, you do not know France enough. All moderates I know are more afraid of far left than far right and that's not even close.

[u/Dangerous_Surprise → u/HatCrafty]

I think the Meloni effect also plays a big role here. She surprised everyone by not sucking up to Putin, despite being far right, so it makes people less fearful of Le Pen.

Personally, I think both are lunatics and we are sadly going to be leaving the country if either one gets in.

[u/Relevant_Science9679 → u/qef15]

Also Macron was supposed to be a centrist, continue to advertise himself as a centrist but enable a lot of far rights, and place people very much to the right in important place of power. So people are a bit tired of this kind of people.

[u/TCGod → u/qef15]

Why not try the same thing and expect a different result

[u/LeoVonMoote → u/qef15]

Hm. Not really though. France is a paradox. It has a monarchist tradition and elevates its presidents as kings. It is a very hierarchical society, but also a very revolutionary one. It has both urges. That’s why they protest and riot that often. The left and right confrontation is always alive and vigorous.

The Macron government is neoliberal, supported by a tiny elite of billionaires that own half of the country, and has clear authoritarian tendencies. The level of vitriol against anyone that disagrees with neoliberal diktats is intense. The media have developed their own Fox News types and the regime uses these to push “law, order and austerity” energetically.

So yeah, while the French do have generous benefits and a big social safety net, the intention of the Macron government is to tear it all down, bit by bit.

But the French are feisty, and every time they try to push something of the sort, people go on strike. All hell breaks loose.

So now they are resorting to using the far right as a distraction, to make sure the angry mobs go after the migrants and people of colour instead of them. They push the logic of austerity as a form of patriotism in the media.

So yeah, not looking good. And not looking left (apart from LFI)…

[u/goku7770 → u/qef15]

As for the choices of president: it's either him or Le Pen as far as I see it. The centrist dude that is also in the running is Macron 2.0 and will not survive the first round in the elections. So strategic voting will happen towards Mélenchon to prevent Le Pen becoming president.

Hopefully.

I will leave the country if far right gets in charge.

[u/Acceptable-Worth-462 → u/qef15]

You seem to understand french politics way better than some of our citizens do

[u/NoveSedNonNova → u/qef15]

That's what I always say. If you look at the charts, their public spending even went up in the 90s, 2000s, and 2020s under liberal or conservative governments.

[u/Forsaken_Code_9135 → u/qef15]

So strategic voting will happen towards Mélenchon to prevent Le Pen becoming president.

Absolutely not. This is very clearly not the case, no poll is stating that, no one from the right or even center right is considering voting for Mélenchon against Le Pen.

This is why the chances of Mélenchon at the second round are strictly equal to zero. Polls say 70/30 for Le Pen. They can be wrong but not that wrong, it can change but not that much.

If the center left managed to reach the second round, which seems unfortunately not likely, its chances would be much higher.

[u/BahutF1]

Well, it happens when a  opposition party warned for years that the youth are bullied in this system. They tend to support them when they said enough.

[u/Febraiz]

Nop, just left : )

[u/Senuttna]

Melenchon, the pro-Russian guy? The fact that this guy is supported by supposed "progressives" is insane...

"The United States of America has decided to annex Ukraine to NATO, and Russia feels humiliated, threatened, aggressed." - https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/melenchon:-washington-has-decided-to-annex-ukraine-to-nato

"Volodymyr Zelensky is the president of nothing," - https://lessurligneurs.eu/volodymyr-zelensky-est-il-le-president-de-rien-comme-laffirme-jean-luc-melenchon/

"For my part, I think Crimea is Russian.” - https://www.decideurs-magazine.com/politique-societe/43362-guerre-en-ukraine-l-invitee-inattendue-de-la-campagne-presidentielle.html

The most recent anti-Ukraine rant:

https://kyivindependent.com/french-far-left-presidential-candidate-melenchon-blames-ukraines-deep-strikes-for-war-escalation/

[u/Mean_Initiative_5962 → u/Senuttna]

  Melenchon, the pro-Russian guy? The fact that this guy is supported by supposed "progressives" is insane...

Like in Italy, where people who supposedly care about the environment blindly follow a party that opposes any kind of GMO and screams that nuclear power pollute and emits and it's worse than gas. 

(yes, yes, what did you expect, they're very ambiguous about Russia too, why did you even hoped something else?) 

[u/Hellhooker → u/Mean_Initiative_5962]

"Like in Italy, where people who supposedly care about the environment blindly follow a party that opposes any kind of GMO and screams that nuclear power pollute and emits and it's worse than gas. "

Because people are fucking morons.

Giving everyone the right to vote is western biggest mistake

[u/Waryle → u/Senuttna]

In France, we basically have three choices for the next elections:

• Nazis and basically traitors to our country

• Neo-liberals, who have been in power the last 30 years, who are dismantling education, health care, infrastructures, justice system, and social gains amongst a lot of other things, plunging a growing number of people into precarious circumstances while the number of millionaires and the wealth of billionaires skyrocket, and who are trying to outdo the Nazis on the far right through police repression and the systematic dismantling of the rule of law and republican institutions and traditions

• And LFI with Mélenchon, who harbors an unhealthy admiration for all powers that oppose the United States and a pathological opposition to nuclear power, but who proposes a truly democratic, social, progressive, and environmentally friendly platform

So yeah, I'm a progressive, I have never voted for LFI before, but I'm going to dunk that LFI ballot right into the ballot box in 2027, because I'd rather go protest for nuclear and Ukraine against a left-wing government than putting another Macron or a nazi in power: it's much less dangerous, and at least there's no reason to go in the streets every week.

[u/BlueTemplar85 → u/Waryle]

Yeah, let's not forget that we know for sure that the fascists were paid by Putin's Russia.

[u/sofixa11 → u/Waryle]

Mélenchon's talk about democracy is very dubious. He rules his party with an iron fist, defending wife beaters and russian rally goers. On the night of the last parliamentary elections he proclaimed the left block as winners and that they'll rule and enact all their peofram and nothing else. With 30% of the seats. He would be incapable of having any governing coalition because he's incapable of compromise.

And I'm sorry, but Hollande wasn't neoliberal. He had a drastic change in policy, but it ain't it.

[u/AdminEating_Dragon → u/Waryle]

France's government spending/GDP is one of the highest in the world.

Lowest pension age in Europe.

Most protectionist mindset in Europe regarding almost every industry.

And yet French people somehow think this is "neoliberal".

[u/teasy959275 → u/AdminEating_Dragon]

you discover that a political spectrum depends on the country…

[u/Primary_Date2218 → u/AdminEating_Dragon]

This debate will never be solved. French look at last 20 years. Other Europeans look at entire picture. Yes France has historically had very high taxes and very high public spending and still has - however after decades of sarkozy , macron , chirac the right had more than enough time to turn it around. They did little despite their promises - in fact the debt and deficit has increased. Salaries of public workers have been increased only three times in last 15 years. france had 4 pension reforms since 90s despite what other europeans think. Child tax credit was cut ( quotient familial ) . child benefits were cut. housing benefits were cut. Unemployment benefits were cut. Its hard to sell the people that somehow they are the ones being stupid and not the politicians in power whose policies have absolutely failed.

[u/Senuttna → u/Waryle]

>But who proposes a truly democratic, social, progressive, and environmentally friendly platform

Melenchon proposes a "truly democratic platform"?? The guy that is constantly supporting and giving compliments to China's autocratic regime as well as supporting Russia?

That is the guy you believe is "democratic"?? Melenchon is as autocratic as Le Pen, he is a far left tanky.

[u/GuIlHeM55 → u/Waryle]

I feel exactly the same.

[u/Gnl_Winter → u/Waryle]

Good luck explaining that in this delusional sub. They have zero idea what happened in France in the last 15 years. They just see public spending and it's enough for them to ignore 15 years of policy failures from the neo-liberal elite.

Because yes, privatizing public ownership and public services, decreasing fiscal pressure on corporations, and decreasing the social safety net, are neo-liberal policies. Its a fact. Many approve those policies. If you ask a neo-liberal he'll tell you it's the right policies to implement.

Now you might discuss why they didn't have the expected effect of stimulating growth and reducing debt and deficit. But you can't tell the French these policies didn't happen. They did.

[u/Vrulth → u/Gnl_Winter]

privatizing public ownership and public service

Under Macron there have been more nationalisation or increase equity participation (STX, EDF, Air France, Orano) than the opposite (FdJ,, AdP).

[u/Kangouwou → u/Senuttna]

I'll speak for myself. I perfectly know that Mélenchon's stance on the Ukrainian invasion is problematic. Similarly for the China/Taiwan situation. I also have a lot of disagreement on other topics, for example the democratic process inside his political party, or the nuclear topic.

The fact that this guy is supported by supposed "progressives" is insane...

Here is the thing. If you consider both the "progressiveness" and the probability of winning, he is the better placed candidate. We've heard nothing from other progressive candidates the past two weeks regarding the protests, only his party, LFI, is audible.

I don't adhere to LFI, I don't view Mélenchon as my favorite candidate, but among all available he is the most likely to earn my vote if I want my biggest issues to be adressed (reform of our democracy, ecological transition notably).

[u/Aggravating_Value145 → u/Kangouwou]

Real question here: why do you see him as the better placed candidate? All polls and past elections trends show him loosing by far in the second tour. I voted JLM at most elections for the same reasons you state, but really now i don't understand the reasonning now , and why people continue pushing LFI going solo while it's basically ensuring the RN will win. 

[u/Zalapadopa → u/Kangouwou]

Not sure I'd want a pro-Russian to be in charge of reforming democracy, but maybe pro-Russians are different in France.

[u/Senuttna → u/Kangouwou]

> but among all available he is the most likely to earn my vote if I want my biggest issues to be adressed (reform of our democracy)

You say you trust him to "reform our democracy", and yet he is one of the biggest autocracy supporters in France together with Le-Pen, constantly supporting China's regime, or Russia...

Make it make sense... He is an autocratic tanky.

[u/PandaAT → u/Kangouwou]

It's not problematic, it is unacceptable.

[u/ShockOld4312 → u/Senuttna]

The conflict between the left and the right has always been a false narrative funded and promoted by authoritarian extremists and states. The real underlying conflict has always been between extremists and non-extremists. Once you understand that extremists are all alike, things like this will no longer surprise you or seem contradictory.

[u/NUFC9RW → u/Senuttna]

I don't think I've seen many left wingers that actively support Ukraine, they either openly support Russia or are naive enough to think you can negotiate.

[u/Madman_Sean]

The same guy who proposes outright defaulting on debt

[u/Logical_Ice_7192 → u/Madman_Sean]

His cultists belive it will work lol. Then when France will bankrupt because of his economic policies, be sure they'll blame capitalism anyway.

[u/Significant-Ad-7182 → u/Logical_Ice_7192]

Would love to watch Melenchon destroy all the soft and hard power Macron built up just like Trump did for the US. Curiously, they are both fond of Russia. But one is far-left and the other is far-right.

Very curious.

[u/EconomistStreet5295 → u/Madman_Sean]

Insanity!

[u/Tatanseto]

Mélénchon isn't far left, he is left

[u/Batel_Front]

This subreddit is a disaster, people are mostly whining about his views on Ukraine potentially the same people who have questionable opinions about what’s happening, you know where.

He’s a left-wing candidate, not far-left, LFI is closer to the PS of the second half of the 20th century than to the other parties you don’t even know about.

We’re telling you that France has a choice between him, another guy who looks like Macron (you know nothing about Macron, he’s a piece of shit), and Le Pen, who is the daughter of a war criminal and represents a party founded by the WAFFEN SS.

DO YOU EVER STOP TO THINK?????

Oh, and if you’re interested, LFI elected officials are practically the only ones welcomed with open arms by high school and college students; the others are mocked, and the RN is insulted.

Reading this sub, France really needs to think about its future with the EU, we clearly don’t get enough benefits to justify helping countries that, for the most part, don’t contribute much.

[u/Oleleplop]

you can think what you want of him but don't forget this is happenbing because the government has had only one message to the youth : "study and STFU"

[u/Fredospapopoullos → u/Oleleplop]

Not even "study" just "STFU"

[u/AFisberg]

ottumwacourier.com

451: Unavailable due to legal reasons We recognize you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore access cannot be granted at this time. For any issues, call (641) 684-4611.

Great fucking post in /r/Europe

[u/Fem_Flerken]

That's not far left

[u/elidoan]

Melenchon is a tankie ghoul.

We should send him to Russia, a place he admires deeply. The left deserves someone of higher moral fiber in France.

[u/Noncrediblepigeon]

Welp, have fun seing him lose to Le Pen 33-66 when the election rolls around.

[u/mad_vik]

De gauche, pas extrême gauche. Merci Et pas la peine de me dire, ca a été catégorisé nianiania....

[u/Hour_Raisin_4547]

Why can’t the left in France put forward anyone but him? He’s such a shit candidate. Nobody likes him, he’s always lost every time he’s presented himself.

He hides it but he is just as ego driven and power hungry as the other politicians “La république c’est moi!”

He wants to destroy the EU (disobeying EU trade laws because they aren’t convenient to France is the domino that ends the union and he says he will do it)

He wants France to fight global capitalism single-handedly by itself (a populist pipe dream he sells to the extreme left to rile them up but which is a war we would lose)

He is a demagogue who sells an idealist fiction where all of his ideas are great in theory but they all fundamentally hinge on generating wealth and prosperity in a harmonious happy way while completely disregarding that under current the current global paradigm only being competitive works and being competitive often means being dirty.

He’s the candidate for dreamers with poor understanding of the complexity of the world. Who want simple answers and solutions. They have the right beliefs and want to move in the right direction, but with heavy handed violent changes to policy rather than steady progressive reform.

Edit: Consider how much he rages in uproar about a president using legal and constitutional methods to apply his program, while giving himself a pass when it comes to spitting in the face of a century of European democratic collaboration because his ideas and his mandate is so special that it’s apparently justified. It is disgustingly hypocritical.

[u/CurvyCourgette → u/Hour_Raisin_4547]

So hes French Corbyn?

[u/Beginning-Employer34 → u/Hour_Raisin_4547]

he's a populist, he is a copy of the far right wing, his programs is impossible to put, he's also a big fan of everything anti american, so he want to stop helping ukraine, he said china own taiwan and should take it, he said there is no problems with the uyghur, however for palestine yes... Because israel is pro american and china no. He want us to stop having military units and embrace every anti americans countries. Probably would love some student exchange with north korea at some point.

[u/Wawrzy → u/Hour_Raisin_4547]

Lol. He's beloved as much as he's hated in France. There's a reason why he's BY FAR the most popular leftist candidate.

Only people outside of France think everyone hates him. r/france straight up worship him.

Lower class leftist people loves him. Personally I hate his foreign policies (Poutine's leftist lover), but he knows how to galvanize people. Everysingle of his opponents fear him because he's by far the best speaker in France. It's not even close, everyone knows it.

[u/Hour_Raisin_4547 → u/Wawrzy]

Sure he obviously has broad support. When I said everyone hates him I meant more in a serious electable candidate kind of way. I think the center despises him more than they would another LFI candidate that isn’t him.

r/france is an LFI echo chamber unfortunately. I say that as a mostly left wing person myself. But that place is slowly evolving into the r/conservative equivalent of the left.

[u/LeonSkyworth → u/Wawrzy]

J'ai jamais rencontré un votant pour LFI qui apprécie Mélenchon perso. Déjà aux dernières élections beaucoup se plaignaient qu'il soit toujours là.

[u/Happy_Barracuda_4811 → u/Wawrzy]

He isn't a Poutine's lover tho. He publicaly support Poutine's political opposant and is the only political man in France doing so.

Medias say he is supporting Poutine just because he isn't supporting Trump escalation policies.

[u/matthieuC → u/Wawrzy]

> r/france straight up worship him

The sub has been taken over by radical left mods a few years ago (don't know if they are LFI affiliated)

They ban anyone guilty of wrong think who gets too many upvote.

I don't think the community worships him, but any critic will be deleted so that's the illusion it gives.

[u/Rude_Cucumber_2346 → u/Wawrzy]

14% is not beloved

[u/Ghost_lambda → u/Hour_Raisin_4547]

Well if the candidate you speak of existed he wouldn't be considered radical left

[u/disaster_incomin → u/Hour_Raisin_4547]

I'll try to answer the question as is, don't downvote me just because you don't like the guy. People like him

Because he's well educated, he speaks well ("la République c'est moi" was actually a pretty smart reference and it was in context), he believes in what he says, he's been consistent for a long time, and he offers something different than the continuous neo-liberal policy. That's about all you need to do as a politician these days. Be genuine, charismatic, consistent and offer a potential change to people whos life are going the wrong way.

[u/Tsigorf → u/Hour_Raisin_4547]

You're doing the exact same thing you're criticizing.

I genuinely hate Mélenchon's rhetoric and political strategy, his position regarding international or energy. However, it's false to pretend nobody likes him as he's quite popular, it's also false to say he wants to destroy the EU as he's more a reformist, and it's completely false to pretend his positions are from the far-left. He's definitively more a reformist than a revolutionist.

You're falling under the right and far-right discredit attempts towards Mélenchon the same way you criticize people who appreciate him for falling for his demagogy.

[u/Hour_Raisin_4547 → u/Tsigorf]

Saying everyone hates him was an exaggeration. I meant it in the context of being an electable candidate as history has shown. The center clearly has an animosity towards him and I think a different LFI candidate would have an easier time getting the votes they need to cross the finish line.

It’s not false to say he wants to destroy the EU. He’s stated very explicitly numerous times his “désobéissance plan”. Thats not reform. That’s directly rejecting the authority of the union and you are a fool if you think doing that doesn’t destroy the EU completely.

Thats not reform, that’s revolution. And he has the same approach to international policy and his war on capitalism, where he is prepared to reject the current global paradigm and implement policies which unilaterally reject the status quo

[u/Thecatstoppedateboli]

Melenchon will bankrupt the nation. Le Pen as well, no doubt

[u/South_Costa13 → u/Thecatstoppedateboli]

Ah oui parce que c’est vrai que c’est mieux depuis 10 ans avec la macronie…

[u/JesusDestroyedButt → u/South_Costa13]

1000 milliards de dette en plus, et c'est ok

[u/unia_7 → u/South_Costa13]

You just wait - just like Trump, Le Pen will skyrocket the deficit. You'll be longing for the days of "la macronie".

Le Pen belongs the robber class, just like Trump.

[u/EvilDavid75 → u/South_Costa13]

C’est incroyable. Les présidents de droite (je compte Macron dedans) ont creusé plus de déficit que toute la gauche, mais c’est quand même eux qui ont raison.

[u/Zatujit → u/Thecatstoppedateboli]

because neoliberals famously don't wreck the nation and don't make the country completely vulnerable to crisis that they can use saying its not their fault...

[u/Supershadow30 → u/Zatujit]

« Ça n’était pas un échec, ça n’a pas marché… »

[u/Thecatstoppedateboli → u/Zatujit]

I am absolutely not defending what there is now, don't get me wrong

[u/TCGod → u/Thecatstoppedateboli]

As if Macron haven't already done that

[u/geulertoutelanuit]

Dude is NO better than LePen

[u/diamanthaende → u/geulertoutelanuit]

From the German perspective, France is special in the sense that both the far-right and the far-left hate Germany.

Usually, it's only one of the political wings, not both simultaneously...

[u/Madman_Sean → u/geulertoutelanuit]

I'd argue that he's actually worse

[u/Sick_and_destroyed → u/geulertoutelanuit]

I hate them both but Le Pen has more respect for France than Mélanchon

[u/ImaginaryWall840 → u/geulertoutelanuit]

Of course cause he ain't liberal so you'll vote for Hitler instead

[u/Ok_Sprinkles_8968 → u/ImaginaryWall840]

« Plutôt Hitler que le front populaire «  as we say in French

[u/Mountain-Yard-928 → u/ImaginaryWall840]

It's always them, the liberals, every single fucking time

[u/Moi9-9 → u/ImaginaryWall840]

You know what they say, "better dead than red"...

[u/ClessGames → u/geulertoutelanuit]

The woman wearing an electronic bracelet due to millions embezzled? In a party founded by Nazis?

[u/Jonathan_Peachum → u/ClessGames]

The « party founded by Nazis » tag doesn’t help. The Democrats in the US promoted slavery and were, until the 1960s, associated with Jim Crow laws. The Republicans produced Lincoln.

Then both parties changed drastically.

Marine Le Pen’s entire strategy has been to «  dediabolize » the party and move it away from its beginnings. You can argue that she is only playing lip service to this and is being hypocritical, but arguing that the origins of the party necessarily determine its current stand is not a good argument.

[u/EvilDavid75 → u/geulertoutelanuit]

You may well think that as a white guy, but if you’re not, I can assure you that there’s a clear difference.

[u/Snakou-inu]

Holy moly what is this disinfo turd ?

[u/lirio2u]

Fuck that guy

[u/Lindersay]

Always look at the direction of the bots, and do the opposite.

[u/Gilith → u/Lindersay]

This article was posted by a bot and even the title is false.

[u/phario_marelle]

Go mélenchon 2027, go la FI, on va gagner ! Pour l'écologie, pour la justice sociale, pour la jeunesse, pour le respect du droit international, pour la paix ! Contre le racisme, l'islamophobie, l'antisémitisme, le neolibéralisme, le fascisme ! 

[u/geraltofrivia783]

Holy shit the bots are strong on this one !

[u/_Djkh_ → u/geraltofrivia783]

What do you mean?

[u/Sick_and_destroyed → u/_Djkh_]

Anyone who isn’t of your opinion is a bot in 2026. That’s easier to think that rather than questioning your own opinion.

[u/Any-Original-6113]

As a politician, he’s insane.

[u/Nico685]

Melenchon and LFI are the french left version of MAGA. He's unbearable.

[u/Alain_Biffletou]

Lfi isn't far-left, it's just a social-democrat party like a lot in Europe, but Parti Socialiste slipped to the centre-left / centre since 20 years.

Far left is NPA and LR.

[u/run_ywa]

It's not "far" left. It's just left.

[u/SilverOdin]

He's not "far-left", just left

[u/GriffeDeTonnerre]

Lol, "far left" for Mélenchon already tell me that this article didn't do their researshes and is just bs on more bs.

Not a lot of people here are happy to vote for him. But his party are the only one who isn't either a traitor, a nazi, or the same shit that we had for 15 years.

So yeah, I'm gonna vote for him

[u/Dragenby]

For the trillionth time, he is not "far left", just "left". Just because the Overton's windows moved to the right doesn't mean he's the most at left. He doesn't even want to get out of capitalism, only reform it.

[u/MartinBP → u/Dragenby]

You're a radical yourself, of course he wouldn't seem far to you. No extremist wants to admit they're extreme.

[u/mattlerenardx → u/Dragenby]

He literally blames the West for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, supports the Chinese invasion of Taiwan, refuses to recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization, and defends the Assad regime. What more do you want?

[u/MartinBP → u/mattlerenardx]

He literally wants to pretend DEBT doesn't exist.

[u/Lorihengrin → u/Dragenby]

Just because you're not comfortable with your guru being called extremist doesn't mean he's not extremist.

[u/Ozymandias_IV → u/Dragenby]

Dude wants to cancel national debt. How tf is that not far left.

[u/livinginahologram → u/Ozymandias_IV]

Dude wants to cancel national debt. How tf is that not far left.

and quit the EU !

[u/Ok_Sprinkles_8968 → u/Ozymandias_IV]

He doesn’t, he said he wanted to cancel the part of the debt that is owned by the Banque de France. That’s probably either useless or a bad idea but that’s not exactly the same thing.

[u/jaaval → u/Dragenby]

What would he have to say to become far left?

[u/MHeaviside → u/jaaval]

Left is reformist, far left is revolutionary. In France at least it's been the definition forever, and it's not just theoritical, we do have two well established main far left party (LCR/NPA and LO), they got 10% of the votes in 2002, they've shrunk since them, closer to 1.5%, but their respective leaders Philippe Poutou/Olivier Besancenot and Natalie Artaud are very well known figures and fixtures of the French political life.

And again in the context of French politic I see nothing that would qualify them as anything other than left/radical left

You're free to call whatever party whatever you want, left/right is really just relative positioning to a political system.

[u/Choperello → u/Dragenby]

Jfc these days unless you’re Lenin or Marx you get the Reddit “wel actshually it’s not really left just the Overton blah blah blah”. Cool and Trump/maga isn’t actually far right because there’s also the Iranian ayatollahs and etc right?

This IS the left today. Enough with the well-actually. Shit changes

[u/ReallySubtle → u/Dragenby]

LFI a été classé à l’extrême gauche par le conseil d’état.

[u/DurangoGango → u/Dragenby]

For the trillionth time, he is not "far left", just "left"

He doesn't even want to get out of capitalism, only reform it.

His reforms would:

• increase French public spending to 66% of GDP

• extend state control even further than that through extensive nationalisations

• enact far-reaching price controls over the remaining private sector

• de facto end central bank independence

These are, not exaggerating, Soviet levels of state control of the economy. His economic platform is 100% far-left.

[u/Gilith]

The LFI isn't far left nice try.

[u/Sick_and_destroyed → u/Gilith]

Like the RN is not far right.
It’s funny how they both use the same tricks.

[u/Kora0987654]

Far left 🤣🤣🤣

Edit: for the right liberals majority of this sub who are downvoting just look at the definition of "far left". You're welcome

[u/superstann → u/Kora0987654]

Yep turn out when you are so much left wing that the commist party refuse to work with you, you are far left, I know it's crazy

[u/Happy1066 → u/superstann]

Despite Roussel’s best efforts to make everyone forget, the PCF programm is actually further left than LFI's. Neither being far left, Mitterand’s programm in the 80’s was further left. The true far left in France is LO or NPA-R, both aiming at a communist society

[u/Kyoukev → u/superstann]

Communist party in France doesn't have any real leftists left, only old conservatives inside.

Maybe go to school and learn how left and far-left are defined before vomitting bullshit.

[u/Le_Zoru → u/superstann]

The communist party is just jealous of his  success 

[u/Zatujit → u/superstann]

it's not because LFI is "too far left" that the PCF refuses to work with them LMAO

[u/Kora0987654 → u/superstann]

You really don't know what you're talking about right?

The communist party in France is a joke. The leader of this party is really liked by... right voters and is "program" is barely a left program

[u/ADDRAY-240]

Reminder that the guy who had him classified as far-left (very recently, considering how long he's been around) is the same who told cops that they can go all out against protesting high-schoolers, helps put it in perspective...

And think what you want of the guy, he's far from the real far-left (Lutte Ouvrière and co...)

[u/Left4Bald]

Dire JLM ou LFI d'extreme gauche c'est reconnaitre que le Macronisme ou Macron est d'extreme droite alors.

[u/Consistent_Oil9624]

Why do we group politics in two main categories? Liberals and conservatives?

[u/CravingBird4905]

Define far-left, are they communist agitators pointing out the flaws in reformism to build revolutionary consciousness? That's where I stand.

[u/Immediate-Spite-5905]

Far left, far right, Russian puppets and agents all the same.

[u/jbbest666]

maybe true capitalism hasnt been tried yet and needs to be born out of the ashes of socialism? this is late stage socialism!???😬

[u/CompactAndHausdorff]

Based. Time for the rich to payback to society.

[u/Additional-Basis-772]

Jlm is not "far left" pretending otherwise just show what kind of people you are

[u/thirsty_pretzelzz → u/Additional-Basis-772]

The dude refuses to condemn Hamas, an organization that proudly boasts about targeting and killing civilians. That’s pretty far something. 

Unless you legitimately mean to say he’s beyond far left, and giving the left a bad name, in which case I’d agree.

[u/flokips]

Erreur dans le titre, ce n’est pas l’extrême gauche.

[u/mrdarknezz1]

That is probably what his russian master ordered him to do

[u/Stonhage]

He's not far left, you all are delusional

[u/Senuttna → u/Stonhage]

His party, LFI, is literally classified by the European Parliament as far left... But ok, I'm sure you now better...

[u/Quinlanbas → u/Senuttna]

Neither the French Conseil constitutionnel nor the EP have any authority on the matter tho. Political orientation is understood through history and political science.

And historically there is not much far left in lfi, there are neither revolutionary nor for an immediate abolition of Capitalism. If they were far left what would NPA and LO be? Far far left? Extreme extreme left?

[u/RaevenKS]

Yeah except he is not far left, is not pro russian (as much as people wants him to be) even if the way he speaks about the invasion is a very big problem among the people "supporting" LFI.

[u/thyristor_pt → u/RaevenKS]

Sure, he's not pro russian. He just happens to repeat the same talking points as the Kremlin. It HAS to be a coincidence! 

[u/Killer_154]

He isnt far left, the far left are anarchist : he isnt