Several left-wing parties are calling for the creation of a “republican cordon” in the procession to distance the RN, which is already preparing well-rehearsed elements of language.
How to concretize the written formula in a joint press release? In a joint press release published Wednesday, November 8, the PS, the PCF AND EELV “propose“to all French people to participate on Sunday in the rally against anti-Semitism in Paris “by creating a republican cordon” excluding the RN.
Caller “citizens“to do the same and walk”against all the perpetrators of hatred and racism“, the three parties, without LFI, therefore,”propose to all French men and women to participate in this Sunday’s march by creating a Republican cordon to distinguish in the demonstration a procession bringing together all the Republicans and progressives on the one hand and the RN and the far-right forces on the one hand. on the other hand, to whom we do not recognize any legitimacy to demonstrate against anti-Semitism“The three parties also ask the President of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate, at the initiative of this march, to “publicly declare that far-right forces are not welcome“.
Except that the establishment of this “cordon” is, for the moment, complex: according to information from franceinfo, socialists, ecologists and communists are still thinking about it, and discussing it with each other. Thus, the idea of a common banner was mentioned, then abandoned, because the presidents of the Senate and the Assembly refuse any other banner than theirs. The objective of the left is to have “un space where all progressives who want to demonstrate against anti-Semitism will be safe and certain not to march alongside elected officials or supporters of the RN“, sums up an environmentalist. So, the phones are heating up, but communication is a little slowed down: the PS executives are currently in Spain for the Congress of the Party of European Socialists.
The language elements of the RN
On the other side of this “cordon”, the National Rally pretends not to worry about it, ensuring that it has not planned any particular organization. To be separated from other political forces, “we don’t care at all“, assures Marine le Pen. Internally, the RN circulates two arguments, the famous elements of language, which elected officials are responsible for repeating to the media: “Our place is with the people, in the middle or at the end of the procession, that suits us very well” And “We don’t want to find ourselves next to people who have put France in such a situation by allowing immigration to run” – argument which can target the left, the right, but also Macronie.
In short, the RN is seeking to turn the situation in its favor… and has received indirect support from Yaël Braun-Pivet and Gérard Larcher. In a new press release, Thursday November 9, the initiators of the march wrote: “Beyond their differences and divergences, all republicans must come together (…) Useless controversies must stop (…) this meeting must take place with respect“.
And the head of state in all this? We do not know if – like François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, his predecessors – Emmanuel Macron will be part of the march. Those around him are talking about speaking out, between now and Sunday, November 12, regarding anti-Semitism.