France's left-wing radicals: "Polarize less? I won't do that"

When Jean-Luc Mélenchon took the stage shortly before 5 p.m. on Saturday, the crowd was boiling. His supporters keep shouting in the exhibition hall in Le Bourget, north of Paris: "We will win." The 75-year-old is celebrated almost like a messiah.

Mélenchon and his radical left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI) want the event to be seen as a demonstration of power, as proof of the dynamism of their campaign. In current polls for the presidential election, Mélenchon is number two after the right-wing national candidate Marine Le Pen - albeit by a significant margin. He could make it to the runoff in the election next spring.

According to the organizers, 20,000 people came to the Mélenchon meeting. “We are not just a crowd, we are a movement,” he shouted to his supporters. The most important message of the meeting, according to Mélenchon: to show how large the number of LFI supporters and sympathizers now is.

Ecology, criticism of capitalism, EU skepticism

Mélenchon rumbles, jokes, lectures. “We are experiencing a great moment of upheaval,” he calls out to his fans and promises to “change everything.” He also sees the LFI election program as a political counterpart to the wave of protests that has been rolling through the country for weeks: "The current protest movement and also our candidacy go against ten years of liberal revolution under Macron," says Mélenchon. These ten years “largely damaged and destroyed” the country.

LFI's election program includes more than 1,000 measures: from eco-regions to a wealth tax, job guarantees and pensions at 60 to France's withdrawal from NATO. "We have no place in NATO, nor in American wars," said Mélenchon in Le Bourget.

The LFI course is largely EU-skeptical and radically criticizes the existing economic system. Mélenchon calls capitalism a “concrete problem.”

He also accuses Germany of striving for dominance within Europe and criticizes its economic policy influence as the "guardian of ordoliberalism". Ordoliberalism describes an economic form that relies on a free market economy - but also on social equality. In his hour-long speech on Saturday, Mélenchon did not mention Germany.

Political pop star for young voters

Whenever Mélenchon condemns racism and police violence in Le Bourget, mentions the "revolution" or expresses his solidarity with Palestine, the hall reacts with euphoric cheers. This - and his support for the student protests - is particularly popular with young voters.

With his concept of the "New France" Mélenchon also wants to appeal to young people from socially disadvantaged, often migrant-dominated suburbs. In fact, the audience at LFI events provides a more realistic depiction of French society than at most other parties. According to a study by the Fondation Jean-Jaurès, up to 44 percent of voters between 18 and 24 can imagine voting for the LFI leader.

“Mélenchon has always included young people in his positions,” says the 30-year-old Salsa in Le Bourget. "Seriously, for me he's the only one who can save us." Yohann, on the other hand, is convinced by the concept of the "New France": "I'm happy to see so many different people here. Young people from the suburbs who are said to be 'outside the republic' - who are waving the French flag here, singing the national anthem. And who feel represented."

Uncompromising leadership

But Jean-Luc Mélenchon polarizes at least as much as he inspires. Critics repeatedly accuse him of justifying violence as a political tool and of using anti-Semitic codes. For many on the moderate left spectrum, it is now considered intolerable.

The association of left-wing parties has also split because of him. But Mélenchon doesn't think about appearing more conciliatory. "Pour water into my wine to convince - and to polarize less? I won't do that," says Mélenchon. With this attitude he wants to beat the right-wing national candidate Le Pen in a possible runoff election.