As expected, the former Keeper of the Seals came out on top in the popular primary on Sunday, January 30. But his victory does not change the balance of power within a left divided as ever, observes the international press.
“And now ?…. This is the question that political analysts and probably a good part of the candidates of the French left were asking themselves, following the victory this Sunday of the former Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira in the popular primary ”, writing The country.
The voters, who had to “Assigning the seven candidates a grade ranging from ‘insufficient’ to ‘very good’, offered a clear victory to Taubira, judged at least ‘good’ by 67% of the participants”, specify the Financial Times. Yannick Jadot (The Greens) arrived 2e, Jean-Luc Melenchon (LFI) 3e and Anne Hidalgo (PS) 5e – a slap for the mayor of Paris.
But despite this victory, “everything remains to be done for Taubira”, who has “won the ballot intended to see the emergence of a single candidate on the left for the presidential election, but whose legitimacy most of the main candidates refused to recognize”, writing The evening.
Politico remember that “Christiane Taubira was the only major candidate to voluntarily enter the primary, building her presidential candidacy on the bet that she would emerge victorious”. But finally “it seems that she has only added one more candidacy to a fragmented left”, analyzes the information site.
“Icon of the Left”
Yannick Jadot, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Anne Hidalgo all three refused to recognize the legitimacy of the consultation – which counted 393,000 voters, according to the organizers – but Mme Taubira nonetheless called for unity.
“Our fate today calls for union and gathering”, she declared following her victory, promising that she would contact her competitors to try to convince them to join her candidacy. “I know their reluctance, but also their intelligence and their sense of the general interest”, she added.
For AP, Christiane Taubira may be “an icon of the left”, his desire for union is mission impossible. “The French left is divided and weakened in the presidential race”, writes the American press agency. Because “at least five traditional candidates have refused any alliance between them” – and have no intention of changing strategy.
The weather also judge than Sunday’s primary “does not change the balance of power. She only adds a candidate whose potential for popularity will have to overcome a pitfall: that of the further division of a disoriented left”.
The Swiss daily adds: “Christiane Taubira can hope to take off with this vote. But if her score, on the evening of the first round on April 10, turns out to be very disappointing, she will be accused, for sure, of having once more handled the worst of electoral poisons: that of division.
