For the political class, it’s the end of the holidays. Like every year in August and September, elected officials and activists meet for the traditional summer universities. It starts this Thursday, August 20 with Jean-Luc Mélenchon and La France insoumise in Châteauneuf-sur-Isère, in Drôme, but also Marine Tondelier and the environmentalists in Grenoble. The socialists meeting in Blois from August 28 and Les Républicains on September 12 will also liven up the end of summer. A few months before an undecided presidential election, these events promise to be particularly lively. 20 Minutes looks back at 5 hot points to follow.
Mélenchon and the green temptation
The rebels meet like every year in the Drôme from this Thursday. But we will have to wait until Sunday at 10 a.m. for Jean-Luc Mélenchon to speak, at the end of these summer lecture halls (amfis in rebellious language). In the meantime, cultural figures are expected, such as the actress Anna Mouglalis, the author Pierre Lemaître, or the businessman Mathieu Pigasse, who will debate with Manuel Bompard, the coordinator of LFI.
Not to be missed: Cyrielle Chatelain’s invitation. The presence of the president of the environmental group in the National Assembly is not insignificant, and will be closely scrutinized, at a time when Jean-Luc Mélenchon is urging the ecologists to support his candidacy for the presidential election in exchange for an agreement for future legislative elections.
The PS in the middle of primary
In Blois, in Loir-et-Cher, the PS universities will be a little more electric this year. Because the socialists will be in the middle of an internal campaign to designate their champion. For the moment, only the deputies Jérôme Guedj and Philippe Brun as well as Ségolène Royal are candidates in the primary organized on October 11 and 18. But Olivier Faure, the party's First Secretary, and Boris Vallaud, the boss of the deputies, are also expected, as is Raphaël Glucksmann, the ally of Place publique and favorite in the election.
Not to be missed: François Hollande will not be a candidate in the socialist primary... but the former president has not abandoned the idea of being a recourse at the end of next year for his camp. We will therefore have to keep an eye on the reception that socialist activists in Blois will give him.
Retailleau to the challenge of unity
Bruno Retailleau will wait until September, and the traditional Les Républicains youth campus to return to school. It will be Saturday September 12 at the Pavillon Baltard in Nogent-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne). The boss of LR is banking heavily on the coming months to try to find momentum in the polls and unite his political family behind him. Dropped by Laurent Wauquiez, who got closer to Edouard Philippe, the senator from Vendée is eagerly awaited in his ability to bring his camp together.
Not to be missed: How many executives will be lined up behind the LR candidate for this return to school? Certainly, there should not be David Lisnard, who slammed the door of the party. Also a presidential candidate, he will make his solo return to his city of Cannes on August 29.
Tondelier amid doubts
Despite the failure of the primary of the entire left outside LFI, Marine Tondelier did not give up her candidacy. And despite polls at half mast, the boss of the ecologists is crisscrossing the territory to campaign. His return to Grenoble is therefore crucial in trying to restart the machine and dispel doubts, including in his own ranks.
Not to be missed: the attitude of its opponents, who are pushing for an alliance with La France insoumise. This internal rebellion is gaining importance in particular in the group of deputies, like Sandrine Rousseau, who pleads for an electoral agreement with Jean-Luc Mélenchon (despite all the criticism of recent months).
Bonus: A first big debate
Yes, yes, even before the start of the presidential campaign, there will be a big debate between the different candidates at the Medef back-to-school university. It will take place on the central court of Roland-Garros on August 27 and will be broadcast on LCI. If the format is still unknown, we already know that Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Bruno Retailleau, Gabriel Attal, Marine Le Pen, Raphaël Glucksmann, Marine Tondelier and Edouard Philippe will be there.
Not to be missed: Marine Le Pen’s performance. The RN candidate, whose real return to office will be in October, has finally supplanted Jordan Bardella for the future presidential campaign. Will she opt for a strategy of seducing employers like the boss of the RN?
