France’s left is in a sorry state. It took a bashing in local elections in March and then European elections in May. The ruling socialists plunged to an all time low of less than 14%. The radical Front de Gauche, comprising the communists and other leftists like Jean Luc Melenchon, polled just 6.3%, down from […]
Posts Tagged ‘Front de Gauche’
European elections: A rising left amid the far right danger
May 30th, 2014 by Kate Hudson.If you base your assessment of what’s going on politically in Europe on the BBC coverage of the Euro elections, you’ll be aware of the massive victory of the Front National in France and not too much else. The parallel rise of the far left was under-reported and where it was covered, the preferred terminology […]
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Radical left could become third force in EU parliament, polls show
Apr 26th, 2014 by Tom Gill.The radical left could become the third force in the European parliament, after the conservatives and social democrats, according to recent polls. Syriza in Greece leads with 26.2 % support, followed by Portugal, Spain and France. With a month to go to the European Parliament elections, polls suggest the Parliamentary Group of the European United Left (GUE – NGL) could increase […]
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Alexis Tsipras backs mass demonstration in Paris against austerity
Apr 14th, 2014 by Tom Gill.Thousands of people protested in Paris on Saturday calling for a change in the austerity policies of President Francois Hollande. The Front de Gauche, whose principle components are the French Communist Party (PCF) and the Parti de Gaunche, led the demonstration that declared “Hollande, enough!” and rallied “against austerity” and for “equality and the redistribution of […]
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Is the Front de Gauche of Jean-Luc Mélenchon about to break up?
Feb 17th, 2014 by Jon Lansman.There are signs this week that the Front de Gauche founded by former Socialist (PS) Senator Jean-Luc Mélenchon may be in terminal trouble. It seems that Pierre Laurent, leader of the Communist PCF, and Mélenchon are not on speaking terms. Communist sources claim that Mélenchon makes all decisions without consultation and expects others to fall in line, whilst […]
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On President Hollande’s New Year bomb
Jan 7th, 2014 by Tom Gill.Translated by Tom Gill from the original in l’Humanité by Patrick Apel -Muller François Hollande’s New Year message did not mark a political turning point, which came just a few months after his election, but it expressed his right turn without any attempt at camoflauge. Priority is to be given to the demands of big business, […]
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Why French radicals are marching – Interview with Mélenchon
May 8th, 2013 by Tom Gill.As French radicals march in Paris Sunday against the austerity policies of Socialist President Hollande, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, co-leader of the Left Party and last year’s Presidential election candidate for the radical Left Front, argues for a broad popular front of resistance. Interview by French Communist daily Humanite: Francois Hollande’s poll rating is very low. How do […]
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France’s L’Humanité: the secret of the radical daily’s success
Apr 11th, 2013 by Tom Gill.Interview with L’Humanité editorial director Patrick Apel-Muller by Vittorio Bonanni (translated by Tom Gill) Patrick Apel-Muller is a journalist of L’Humanité, he’s what in France is called the editorial director. A senior editor with some extra powers. So nearly a director, although formally this role is played by the Communist MEP Patrick Le Hyaric, but […]
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Jean-Luc Mélenchon: for an alternative to austerity in Europe
Feb 23rd, 2013 by Newsdesk.Jean-Luc Mélenchon was recently in London and spoke to a packed hall at UCL, comprising not only many members of the Front de Gauche living in London but quite a few Labour Party members and others from the British left. For those who weren’t there, and for those who were but whose understanding was not […]
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Europe needs a citizens’ revolution, declare Lafontaine and Mélenchon
Nov 23rd, 2012 by Newsdesk.The following declaration was yesterday issued by Oskar Lafontaine, who has previously been German finance minister, chair of the SPD and co-chair of Die Linke (Left Party), and Jean Luc Mélenchon, the Presidential Candidate for France’s Front du Gauche: We note with dismay the use made of the European Union as a tool of widespread austerity. […]
