While the polls give Emmanuel Macron neck and neck with Marine Le Pen, the LREM deputy from Grenoble Emilie Chalas calls on left-wing voters to mobilize against the far-right for the second round of the presidential election on April 24. .
2022 is obviously not 2002. Left-wing voters seem reluctant to vote Emmanuel Macron on April 24 to block Marine Le Pen. While rebellious France is launching an online consultation this Wednesday to collect the wishes of its activists for the second round, the LREM deputy from Grenoble, Emilie Chalas, calls on all French leftists to mobilize.
In a column published last night, around fifty French sportsmen called to vote for Emmanuel Macron “to fight the coming to power of the far right”. What is your feeling ?
It warms the heart because we can clearly see that the voices are beginning to speak out and the French people to rise up against the extreme right. We find a little air of 2002 which is good. I was there like many of us. Anyone who speaks out against this risk will obviously be welcome to stay on the Republican side, so that France can mark history by putting aside the National Front.
The National Rally today…
Yes, excuse me. But you know, when it comes to the same people and the same family who, for eight presidential elections, have been trying to conquer power… National Front or National Rally, it’s “white-cap, white-cap”.
Explain to us this change of footing by Emmanuel Macron on pensions: finally 64 years old, instead of 65 previously proposed, he even speaks of a referendum. Isn’t there a bit of feverishness in this between-two rounds?
Look, when we have a program written, we are told that it is authoritative and top-down. And when we start listening and suggesting flexibility to convince and rally as many French people as possible behind a Republican and Democratic vote, we are told that we are feverish. Listening is strength, bringing people together is strength. I see that on this subject, it is difficult to convince. Well, let’s put the French around the table, let’s talk. Emmanuel Macron had announced even before his results of the 1st round, a great permanent debate in France. Here it is, let’s ask it for the pension reform. And see how, with this aging population, we support pensions for our seniors.
Should Emmanuel Macron further modify his program to encourage left-wing voters to vote for him, to mobilize?
Yes, I believe there is that to be done, among other things: to continue to expand, to persevere. I am thinking of the social dimension, but also the ecological one. But let’s not forget that Emmanuel Macron already offers solidarity at the source: people who are entitled to RSA, APL, family allowances, disabled adult allowance will no longer see their solidarity resources escape them. It’s still revolutionary. In the same way, the indexation of pensions from the month of July. This means that as prices go up, pensions will go up at least the same way. That’s revolutionary. And then, the sharing of dividends: plus one euro to the shareholders of large companies if there is not, in exchange and at the same time, a salary increase or a bonus. These are all small revolutions. In the same way, the duplication of classes which has worked so well for 5 years, in CP, in CE1, we continue it in CE2. All this speaks to the left. I am a leftist. You know, I’m the son of immigrants, so I know what I owe the Republic and that’s what we’re rebuilding for our children.
Almost 40% of Grenoble residents voted Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round. Why would they vote in the second for someone who has reduced APL, unemployment benefits and who promises retirement at 64?
When you are on the left, you fight against the National Front, against the Le Pen clan, which for eight presidential elections now, has been trying to conquer power. Le Pen is racism, it’s anti-Muslim, it’s economic collapse, it’s the end of Europe, it’s the exit from NATO. That’s the reality. It is not me who interprets it. It’s written in black and white in his program. When you’re on the left, despite all the criticism you may have of Emmanuel Macron, you put a clothespin on your nose like in 2002 and you vote against the National Front. We will vote for Emmanuel Macron. In 2002, without scruples, I voted for Jacques Chirac.
After the presidential elections, there are the legislative ones. In your constituency, the 3rd in Isère, Jean-Luc Mélenchon won 35% of the vote. Are you worried about your parliamentary seat?
Some actually step over this second round of the presidential election, which, as you understood in my application this morning, is extremely important. Afterwards, in fact, we see a recomposition of the political sphere, with a nationalist pole, a progressive pole and a radical left pole. We fight together the nationalist pole. But we can clearly see in Grenoble, in the third constituency, that there are some who are not clear. What is Elisa Martin’s position on the second round of the presidential election? She is not going to vote Emmanuel Macron? No kidding ? And look at Clément Chapet, who has already announced for 48 hours that he would not vote. So he is ready to accept Marine Le Pen in power. This says a lot about the personal aspirations of the candidates.
I believe that the legislative elections have not arrived, that the historical issue is the second round of the presidential election for France. And I will tell you whatever the result of the third constituency, if Emmanuel Macron, in ten days, is re-elected, I breathe a sigh of relief. We will then launch enthusiastically into the legislative elections to give Emmanuel Macron a majority. But make no mistake, history will play out on April 24.