Impossible to miss them, under the red flags installed on Place Cadenat, in the Belle-de-Mai district, in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône). Saturday, February 5, activists of the French Communist Party settled in the market, leaflets in hand, to defend Fabien Roussel’s candidacy for the presidential election, on the eve of his first major national meeting. “Hello sir, presidential election, Fabien Roussel for the French Communist Party”they launch while distributing the leaflets. “Thank you very much”, replies a passer-by, grabbing the paper. The reception is often friendly.
Their main mission: to make known a candidate in lack of notoriety. When you ask a resident if he knows Fabien Roussel, the answer is clear: “Honestly, no.” He is not the only one. It is necessary to arm oneself with pedagogy to explain that the PCF presents a candidate, after fifteen years of absence. “It proves that the choice of activists to have a candidate was a real need”says Aimé Musto, head of the office. “This is his first candidacy”he minimizes, estimating “normal” that he suffers from a lack of notoriety.
“He can only grow. It is better to be in deficit than in loss of notoriety like other candidates.”
Aimé Musto, head of the PCF office in Marseilleat franceinfo
“It’s up to you to compare the programs”launches Aimé Musto, to a Marseillais. “You are almost the same!”replies the inhabitant. “With whom, Jean-Luc Mélenchon?”, asks Aimé Gusto. Precisely, the support of the candidate La France insoumise is not far since a woman tows for the one who is also a deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône. For her, the agreement with the Communists is ancient history: “The lefts of the right and the Macron-compatibles, it’s not for me”she says. “I would like Fabien Roussel to stop hitting the guy who is very well placed for the second round.”
Zacharie Aspinas, 20, prefers to move on. He is campaigning for his second presidential election: “It feels good to come back to the debate, to raise the question of the workers. I am a little more committed to this presidential election. Fabien Roussel really represents the proposals that I was expecting for young people. It is clearly the expectations that I had for a candidate.” Beyond what must be a demonstration of force and legitimacy, the communist must also, during his meeting, specify the main lines of his program.