It is time to take stock at the Socialist Party. The negotiations for Matignon have revived the eternal conflict between the proponents of a rapprochement with Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the detractors of an “unnatural” alliance. The violent divisions, displayed in public, on the subject of the possible nomination of Bernard Cazeneuve, are a powerful symbol of this.
Lamia El Aaraje, a close friend of Anne Hidalgo, is part of the second category of roses. A visceral anti-Mélenchonist, the deputy mayor of Paris and head of the Parisian socialists denounces her party’s attitude during the sequence. And urges the leadership to call a congress in January 2025.
L’Express: In your opinion, does the Socialist Party bear any responsibility for the non-appointment of Bernard Cazeneuve to Matignon?
Lamia El Aaraje: Of course, and I am angry. Rather than supporting Bernard Cazeneuve, the party leadership preferred to give pretexts to the Elysée so that the hypothesis would be dismissed. The latest example, on September 3, during a National Bureau, when we tabled an amendment to affirm that the Socialist Party would not censor him a priori, Olivier Faure and his entourage explained to us that it was irresponsible because he would not be part of our ranks or the NFP. In the assembly, I even heard some people loudly affirm that Bernard Cazeneuve was not left-wing! So there are censors in our political family, which is absolutely not in our tradition. The left, carried away, crushed by the tutelary figure of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, found itself in the rebellious strategy of “all or nothing”. Result of the races: we end up with absolutely nothing, in the person of Michel Barnier.
On the left, some claim that Emmanuel Macron never had the intention of appointing him…
The Socialist Party is obviously not the only one responsible for the non-appointment of Bernard Cazeneuve. The first person responsible is Emmanuel Macron. But at the moment when Olivier Faure had the opportunity to be able, at one point or another, to put all his strength into the battle to have a left-wing Prime Minister, he did not do so. It was his responsibility as First Secretary, leader of the force that must be central to the left.
In my opinion, there is no future on the left if the PS does not take on more leadership. This is not an incantation: today, on the left, we are the force with the most local elected representatives, and we have been leading our communities for years. Who hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games? Who radically transformed Paris? It was not the rebels.
But has not the Socialist Party, with all its currents, shot itself in the foot by displaying its divisions in public?
The PS is a very large party, where a multitude of visions confront each other, to give birth to common positions. This is its strength. It works well when the internal bodies meet regularly, when the orientation texts are processed by the First Secretary. Internal democracy is, ultimately, a guarantee of discipline. Today, there is a subject around its daily practice within the PS, because Olivier Faure acts as if his opposition did not exist.
“Raphaël Glucksmann has a lot to offer us”
I joined Léon Blum’s party, not an autocratic party. When minority groups are not listened to, when the leadership publishes press release after press release without consulting us, internal bodies are no longer internal bodies. In any case, the party is going downhill, and organizing the congress is a matter of survival. It must take place in January 2025, in order to clarify our line on the substance and method.
Looking back, do you think that the New Popular Front and the alliance with the Insoumis were a bad idea?
I wouldn’t say that, because the NFP allowed the defeat of the extreme right and that is already a form of victory. Simply, while we had signed a clear contract, we found ourselves three weeks after the sealing of the union in a total lack of clarity. With in particular problematic positions taken by the Insoumis vis-à-vis Hamas or on the dismissal of the president.
But I am fed up with electoral agreements made by four people – mostly men – in a dark room, which crush the weight of the federations and the reality that emerged from the ballot boxes. How am I going to explain to people that we preferred a right-wing Prime Minister because we wanted Lucie Castets, and only Castets at Matignon?
During the last two legislative elections, the union of the left was nevertheless beneficial for the Socialist Party…
The latest studies show that 67% of French people totally reject LFI. I do not reject their voters, but I do not want to form an alliance with Jean-Luc Mélenchon. We need a union of the left, but we did not wait for LFI to practice it in Paris, and in our local authorities. So there would be such a distortion between territorial and national issues?
“The rebels do not understand at all what French society is.”
Especially since La France Insoumise is not left-wing. This movement practices populism, plays on our divisions rather than on the cement that unites us, flatters communitarianism by bringing the French back to their supposed origins or religions.
Raphael Glucksmann draws more or less the same conclusion. Do you say, like Anne Hidalgo – who is said to be leaving for her movement – that you are “very close to her ideas” and those of Place publique?
I really want to work with Raphaël Glucksmann, whom I agree with on the method and the issues. He has a lot to bring to us, and I think we do too, on the heritage of our party and its territorial network that is incomparable on the left. I am calling for a rapprochement between our two parties, why not found a common movement…
What role should the Socialist Party play during this legislature? Do you agree with Olivier Faure, who assures that the parliamentary group will immediately censure the government of the new Prime Minister?
Yes. Regardless of his background, it is a betrayal of the voters, in substance as well as in form, and of the very spirit of the Republican Front. I cannot imagine any left-wing personality entering a right-wing government.
How can we accept that the most fragile formation in the hemicycle, which, for many of its deputies, owes its seats to the Republican withdrawal, could be subject to the arbitration of the National Rally, which calls the shots on the censure of its government? How will we explain the next time we have to block the RN? After killing social democracy, Emmanuel Macron killed democracy pure and simple.
In Paris, how are you preparing for the municipal elections? Will Anne Hidalgo be a candidate?
The mayor will say what she wants to do when she wants to. My responsibility is to create a framework for reflection and work in connection with the PCF, the Greens and Place publique, allowing us to build a base of values and projects. Regardless of the mayor’s decision, which she will make in due time, we have enough resources and talent in our team to build our candidacy for 2026.
In Paris, the rebels made a spectacular surge during the last elections. Can we still do without them?
At the Hôtel de Ville, they are in opposition and have voted against all the budgets. They do not understand at all what French society is, and even less what Paris is. We cannot accept any prevarication on secularism, living together or anti-Semitism. In the capital, there is no possible alliance with LFI.
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