Macron fascinated by Bardella, the return of Mélenchon Prime Minister – L’Express

The more than ambiguous positions taken by certain members of La France insoumise – starting with those of Jean-Luc Mélenchon -, since the Hamas attack on October 7 against Israeli civilians, could have caused some regret among the executives of the movement. Certainly not for Manuel Bompard, who rejoices: “We gained voters permanently, and those we lost, we lost temporarily.” Beyond these electoral considerations, the LFI deputy finds nothing to reproach in his leader’s declarations. “He was right to say what he said about the march against anti-Semitism, we would never have said that if it had been a march against racism.” Doubt will not pass through him.

Moving requires, here is the LR deputy Alexandre Vincendet surrounded. Due to work, the parliamentarian was relocated, and found himself surrounded by rebels in the corridors of the Assembly. And, between the right and the Mélenchonists, to say that the atmosphere is cold is an understatement. No hello, no smile. So much so that an LR employee decorated the fire door that separates the offices with a sign labeled “Checkpoint Charlie”. The rebels respond! Here are the two spaces, each marked with a poster: “free zone”, on the left side, “occupied zone”, on the right side. Last bullet from LR: their corridor decorated with a cross of Lorraine, next to which we can read “Long live General de Gaulle”. We won’t know what happens next. When questioned, the bailiffs ended up intervening to put an end to these neighborhood quarrels.

The socialist Michaël Delafosse, the ambitious mayor of Montpellier, opposed to Nupes, offers himself the services of Alexis Braud, former “spin doctor” by Yannick Jadot, whom some nicknamed his “second brain” (just that). It was the former environmentalist presidential candidate turned senator who made the marriage possible. Officially, the councilor, very popular with Bernard Cazeneuve and François Hollande, focuses on his mandate and in particular free transport, a flagship measure which will come into force on December 21 and which Braud is responsible for promoting in Paris. Unofficially, Delafosse seeks above all to “strengthen his national game” by joining forces with this shadow advisor. “I do this because I feel close to him politically,” confirms the latter, who on the first day of the honeymoon, said to the mayor with a smile: “You’re still a little too secular for me. “

Those around the President of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate welcome the success of the great march against anti-Semitism. “[Une réussite, alors] that we were not helped politically”, reminded Yaël Braun-Pivet to her teams. Asked in a small group about the absence of Emmanuel Macron, the boss of the perch showed great clairvoyance: “I I never thought he would come. Because he simply wasn’t the one organizing.”

While the rumor of a dissolution returned with fanfare with the rejection of the “immigration” law in the National Assembly this week, the rebels say they are “ready” to go back to campaign. “We are not afraid, because we consider that the democratic solution is always the best,” explain the rebels. Problem: Nupes “is no longer”, according to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who assured it on France Inter two weeks ago. Nothing to worry about, assure the same people, convinced that yesterday’s partners, who seceded from Nupes and are getting closer to the rebellious rebels, will inevitably come back to knock on the door for a deal. “I don’t see Olivier Faure going to negotiate a legislative agreement with Raquel Garrido if there was a dissolution,” assures, mockingly, LFI deputy Paul Vannier.

The rebels will also sing the same song as during the 2022 legislative elections: Jean-Luc Mélenchon Prime Minister! “What prevents us from relaunching this campaign?” Vannier explains. Proof that the chief rebel is not in retreat. Was it really? As the 2027 presidential election approaches, those who swore yesterday that Mélenchon would no longer be a candidate for the supreme office are now changing their tune: “Mélenchon is really working to be replaced, but there is also what we think: “The hypothesis that it is him is real, because there is only him today.” In short, a priesthood!

Remember: the day after the first “Saint-Denis meeting”, last August, those close to the Head of State sang the praises of the president of the RN, Jordan Bardella, “hardworking” and “prepared”. Tactical move or crush? It’s someone close to Emmanuel Macron who says it, more disappointed than excited: “Do you know why he has all this charm in Bardella? The president of the RN fascinates him because it’s him even younger…”