Alain Krivine, former leader and founder of the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR) and figure of the French far left, died at the age of 80, his wife announced on Saturday March 12. He had been a candidate for the presidential election in 1969 (where he had obtained a little more than 1% in the first round) and in 1974 (where he had collected only 0.37% of the votes).
Alain Krivine was one of the founders, in 1966, of the Revolutionary Communist Youth (JCR). He had become one of the figures of the demonstrations of May-68, alongside Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Jacques Sauvageot and Alain Geismar. His activism had, however, earned him a month’s imprisonment in the Paris prison of Health, after the dissolution of the JCR.
A member of the Communist League for several years, Alain Krivine founded the LCR in 1974. Journalist at the weekly Red and MEP between 1999 and 2004, he resigned from the party’s political office in 2006. However, he remained spokesperson for the movement until its dissolution in 2009. He then participated in the creation of the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA ).
“I still hear you say that the best way to celebrate the memory of the deceased is to perpetuate their fight”, reacted his friend Olivier Besancenot after the announcement of his death. The former NPA leader estimated on Twitter that Alain Krivine’s fight was the one “of a lifetime”, “without ever giving up”. “Doing it without you will never taste the same again”added Olivier Besancenot.
Alain Krivine, my comrade and friend, you left us. I still hear you say that the best way to celebrate the memory of the deceased is to perpetuate their fight. That of a lifetime concerning you, without ever giving up. Doing it without you will never have the same flavor again. pic.twitter.com/c9ZQQeZlOA
— Olivier Besancenot (@olbesancenot) March 12, 2022
The leader of La France insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, for his part expressed his “emotion and sorrow” after the death of Alain Krivine. “[Il] was one of the figures that[ont] made you want to do politics to change the worldsaid MP Clémentine Autain. Heartfelt thoughts for his family, loved ones and our NPA comrades.”
Emotion and grief. A sorrowful thought to his family and fraternal greetings to the entire Trotskyist movement. https://t.co/OKILZWdPHB
— Jean-Luc Melenchon (@JLMelenchon) March 12, 2022
Along with Jack Ralite, Alain Krivine was one of the figures who made me want to go into politics to change the world. Thoughts moved for his family, loved ones and our comrades of the NPA. pic.twitter.com/aelAtAKupS
— Clementine Autain (@Clem_Autain) March 12, 2022