Taken to task on Wednesday in the Loire, the head of the PS-Place publique list in the European elections was unable to join the procession. The action was claimed by the local Young Communists, but other activists, including some from La France insoumise, also participated.
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“Glucksmann, get out of there”, “PS bastard”, “Down with the Socialist Party”… Here are the slogans which targeted Raphaël Glucksmann during the May 1 demonstration in Saint-Etienne. Booed, whistled, the head of the PS-Place publique list for the European elections was unable to join the procession and even had paint and cans thrown at them by demonstrators. The elected official went to the Loire to discuss the fate of the employees of the Casino brand, which will close its doors in a few months. But it is his positions on the bombings of the Israeli army in Gaza, considered too timid, which he has been criticized for.
The candidate and his entourage therefore left the demonstration on Wednesday morning and the exchange planned after the parade with activists was canceled. Raphaël Glucksmann denounced the actions of“around fifty crazy people”and claimed to have identified the political color of some of them. “What is certain is that there were flags of political parties. Permanent Revolution and La France insoumise, as well as the Young Communistsdoes he have declared to France Bleu Saint-Etienne Loire. These people are not democrats. We see it in their violence.”
On the side of La France Insoumise (LFI), the reactions were not long in coming. Jean-Luc Mélenchon notably ensured “totally disapprove of this expulsion”while refuting his party’s participation in this action. “This expulsion provides a media diversion against May 1st and a victim role for Glucksmann who takes the opportunity to accuse us”, he attacked. The rebellious leader also specifies that the action was claimed by the Young Communists of the Loire. This group clearly acknowledged, to the AFP, having “contributed to this action, like other organizations”.
A local elected official from LFI singled out
Contacted by franceinfo on this subject, the Young Communists of the Loire did not respond to our requests. But other elements can attest to the participation of La France insoumise activists in the ouster of Raphaël Glucksmann and his team. A local activist, LFI flag on his shoulder, was questioned by TF1 after the scene. “I was one of the people who expelled him because he had a hard time calling for Israeli restraint on the Palestinians.”he declares.
Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI group at the National Assembly, guest of franceinfo Thursday morning, reacted to this video. “I don’t know this activist”she assured, before emphasizing that “the entire leadership of the movement disapproved” what happened in Saint-Etienne. Johann Cesa, boss of the PS in the Loire, accused on France Bleu the LFI deputy for the Loire, Andrée Taurinya, of having participated in this action.
“There were a lot of us who saw her direct the young activists towards us.”
Johann Cesa, boss of the Loire PSon France Bleu Saint-Etienne Loire
Accusations denied Thursday by the person concerned. The LFI MP for Saint-Etienne responded to the accusations onby denouncing “defamatory remarks (…) Repeating everywhere that I ‘directed’ the expulsion of Raphaël Glucksmann will not make it true. Violence in politics is part of neither my methods nor those of La France insoumise”.
Evoking the slogans on the conflict in the Middle East, Raphaël Glucksmann assured “not having stuttered to condemn Hamas”all in “fighting for the carnage in Gaza to stop”. The candidate attributed these movements to “reactions of frustration” in the run-up to the European elections on June 9, estimating on franceinfo that the “dynamic” is today on the side of the PS. According to an Ipsos survey for franceinfo and The Parisian published on April 13, Raphaël Glucksmann accounts for 13% of voting intentions and is getting closer to the list of the presidential majority led by Valérie Hayer.