No matter if Nathalie Arthaud made less than 1% in the first round of the presidential election, Lutte Ouvrière keeps her fist raised in the Somme. The five constituencies of the department were invested this Monday, May 16 by the workers’ party. The anti-capitalist project wants to restore more purchasing power to households, defend a retirement at 60 and increase taxes on large CAC 40 groups.
class fight
The candidates of Lutte Ouvrière are convinced of this: their social demands will not pass through debates in the National Assembly, but through great mobilizations in the streets. Labor Struggle “is a combat party, a headquarters of an army of striking workers. It has nothing to do with a government party“, recalls Hélène Launey, candidate in the 5th constituency, before adding: if the workers do not take power, the capitalists take us to the wall!“
Lutte Ouvrière is a combat party, a staff of an army of workers on strike – Hélène Launey, candidate in the 5th constituency
The demands are the same as those made during the presidential election : increase the minimum wage to 2,000 euros net per month, reduce retirement to 60, increase corporate taxation. The Somme has some specificities in the eyes of Bruno Paléni, candidate in the 2nd district: “It is a region that is devastated in terms of its industry. Whirlpool, Goodyear… All these companies, which in order to increase their profits, decided to close and throw thousands of people who were supporting a family onto the streets. This is what we denounce.”
No covenant
Lutte Ouvrière has so far remained deaf to the sirens of the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupés), carried by France Insoumise, and formed by the Communist Party, Europe-Ecologie-les-Verts, then the Socialist Party. “We think we shouldn’t make any concessions“, justifies Jean-Patrick Baudry, in the 1st constituency which relies above all on a large mobilization to be heard, millions of workers in the streets, coming together and not being fooled by electoral illusions.”
The objective is therefore not so much to seek seats in the National Assembly but rather to convey a message in civil society and call on workers to defend their interests. A project which will be presented at a first public meeting on June 2 in Amiens, then on June 4 in Péronne.