After a long false suspense, Anne Hidalgo launches Sunday, September 12 in the race for the Elysee Palace, an announcement that gives a smile to the Socialist Party, persuaded to be “The driving force” to the left. It is from Rouen, city of the socialist Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, a relative, that the mayor of Paris will make her officialization: a deliberate choice so as not to appear too “Parisian” and symbolize one of her campaign themes, reindustrialisation, in based on the ecological transition.
His statement will be telescoped with the political re-entry of another contender for the Elysee, Marine le Pen, who will make a speech on Sunday at the RN summer days in Fréjus. Both will be the guests of the JT in the evening (TF1 for Le Pen, France 2 for Hidalgo). This candidacy is added to the long list of contenders on the left, including the rebellious Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the ex-socialist Arnaud Montebourg, the Communist Fabien Roussel and the candidate from the environmentalist primary at the end of September.
The mayor of Paris has gradually walked towards the idea of a national destiny, supported by the insistence of several elected socialists. For several months, it has increased the number of trips to France, then gathered hundreds of left-wing elected officials in Villeurbanne in July, before meeting with activists at the PS summer days in Blois in August, and socialist parliamentarians on Tuesday in Montpellier.
“Neither hesitation, nor coquetry”
If she took the time, “It is neither hesitation, nor coquetry”, but for “Ensure that we have the foundations, these points of agreement to be able to speak to the country”, she clarified. Points of agreement around ” common values ” of social democracy and “Republican equality” in particular, which she made her “Compass”.
Among its priorities, “The ecological transition, the transformation of our economic and energy model”, corn “Not to the detriment of the middle classes and popular categories”. School is another priority. To revalue the teaching profession, she judges “Possible” over a five-year term “Multiply by two at least” their salary, in his book A french woman (Editions de l’Observatoire) to be published on September 15.
Likewise, for “Invisible” (caregivers, cashiers, etc.) who “Every day of the year (…) keeps society going”, she estimates in the book “Quite economically bearable to raise all wages”, citing the CFDT which proposes a general increase of 15%, “A solid track”, according to her.
For the moment credited with 7 to 9% of the votes according to the polls, Anne Hidalgo recalls that she was also given the loser in the municipal election in Paris. She “Can give the dynamic and the conviction that the left can win”, judge a loved one. “The challenge is to win back the share of left-wing voters who respond “Macron” by default “.
A re-mobilized Socialist Party
This candidacy, coupled with the positive results of the Socialists in the last municipal, departmental and regional elections, galvanizes the PS. “We have a chance to win”, assures Pierre Jouvet, spokesperson for the party. “This candidacy is the logical continuation of hard work for three years to reposition the PS at the heart of the left”, he said, after the failure of the Socialists in 2017, where Benoît Hamon obtained only 6.34% of the vote.
“I have the feeling that in this presidential election we will (…) achieve what nobody imagines!” “, tweeted Olivier Faure, the first secretary, who supports her. He is also on track to be reelected soon at the head of the party: after a vote by activists on Thursday, his orientation text came out on top, according to partial results. To separate it from other socialist competitors, such as Stéphane Le Foll, the mayor of Le Mans, Ms. Hidalgo will however have to go through an internal vote of the PS, after the party congress scheduled for September 17 and 18.
“But what is at stake is not a party, we need a rally that goes far beyond”, judged Anne Hidalgo Tuesday. For that she wants to rely on “His team of mayors and elected officials of France”, like Johanna Rolland, mayor of Nantes, or Carole Delga, president of the Occitanie region, elected officials “From the middle classes, popular categories or immigration”, like her.
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