In France, barely a few hours after the announcement of the program of the New Popular Front of the Lefts supposed to counter the far right for the early legislative elections, the investitures are creating quite a stir within La France Insoumise (LFI), the party with the highest divided into constituencies with more than 200 out of 577. If Adrien Quatennens, convicted of domestic violence, is invested, the “rebels” Alexis Corbière and Raquel Garrido, who have been critical of the functioning of the party, do not receive the nomination.
2 mins
Reading them on social networks, they didn’t expect it. The outgoing deputy for Seine-Saint-Denis, Alexis Corbière, denounces the work of an obscure electoral commission. He says he is the victim of punishment for having made his criticisms heard within the party and accuses Jean-Luc Mélenchon of “ settle accounts “. Alexis Corbière assures that he still wants to present himself on June 30, just like his partner Raquel Garrido, also elected outgoing from the Paris region.
An obscure electoral commission #LFI decided not to nominate me as a candidate. A punishment for having voiced criticism internally. Shame.
Obviously I am still a candidate, for victory against the RN and for a democratic left. #Popular Front— Alexis Corbière (@alexiscorbiere) June 14, 2024
In her tweet, Raquel Garrido attacks Jean-Luc Mélenchon by name, to whom she says: “ A shame on you “.
I have just discovered that LFI has decided not to grant me the nomination. I am being made to pay for the crime of lèse-Mélenchon. It is very regrettable, at the precise moment when, with the #NewPopularFront, we embody a new democratic project for the country. Yesterday a room of 300… pic.twitter.com/fK7h2V3QJu
— Raquel Garrido (@RaquelGarridoFr) June 14, 2024
This is not the first time that she has openly attacked the rebellious leader. At the end of last year, she had was withdrawn from the LFI group in the National Assembly for having denounced the harmful behavior of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, in particular at the time of the Quatennens affairwhen the rebellious leader defended the deputy from the North, guilty of having slapped his wife.
Adrien Quatennens obtains the nomination. And this does not fail to seriously hamper figures in the movement, who are also involved. François Ruffinpossible candidate for Matignon, denounces the stupidity and sectarianism of the investiture commission.
Outraged reaction also from the outgoing MP, but reinvested, Clémentine Autain. The feminist activist denounces a purge and calls Jean-Luc Mélenchon to “ responsibility “.
In total: five outgoing “rebellious” Insoumis deputies did not obtain the nomination.
Reactions also outside LFI
The patron saint of Environmentalists Marine Tondelier said to herself this Saturday morning “ extremely shocked ” over there ” purge » within LFI. “ I called the EELV authorities this morning to see what action to take on this”, declared on France 2 Marine Tondelier, who must also meet with socialist leaders Olivier Faure and communist Fabien Roussel. The boss of the Ecologists wants the New Popular Front to support, despite everything, the candidates ousted by LFI.
Read also“The New Popular Front is born!”: account of the intense negotiations which led to the union of the French left