March against anti-Semitism: by boycotting the rally, Jean-Luc Mélenchon “seriously marginalized himself”, believes political columnist Nathalie Saint-Cricq

More than 180,000 people marched in the streets of France against anti-Semitism on Sunday November 12. “It was a success which was relatively peaceful, with a few exceptions”, estimated Nathalie Saint-Cricq, political columnist at France Télévisions, Monday on the set of 8 Heures. Returning to the boycott of the rally in Paris by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Nathalie Saint-Cricq indicated that as “ultimate provocation, he proposed to the young people of La France insoumise (LFI) to meet at Place des Martyrs-Juifs-du- Vélodrome-d’Hiver” in Paris. “Jean-Luc Mélenchon has reached a milestone and seriously marginalized himself,” she added, also referring to the controversy surrounding the comments of LFI deputy David Guiraud on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The absence of Emmanuel Macron at the rally

Emmanuel Macron was also absent from this gathering. “We have the right not to demonstrate in the name of national unity, but sometimes we can think that convictions prevail over pragmatism, that reasonableness and symbolism do not always go well together”estimated the political columnist at France Télévisions. “The fact remains that he has a position that is relatively illegible, with statements that change a little from day to day, and that we should probably be a little clearer and say frankly what he thinks, or what he thinks. ‘he wishes, knowing that we cannot please everyone’she added.