“It’s a coalition that allows us to come together while respecting our differences”, welcomes Fabien Roussel regarding the Nupes
Two days following the launch of the New Popular Ecological and Social Union, the national secretary of the Communist Party (PCF), Fabien Roussel, was on France 2 Monday morning to discuss this alliance of left-wing parties. “It’s a coalition that allows us to come together while respecting our differences”, greeted the former presidential candidate. Mr. Roussel was particularly pleased that the left-wing parties had succeeded in agreeing “on a program that we have shared, on the common points that we have”referring in particular to the increase in wages and retirement at age 60 with a pension of 1,400 euros net.
But programmatic differences remain within this coalition, such as the nuclear issue. During his speech in Aubervilliers, Jean-Luc Mélenchon insisted on his desire to get out of this energy. But Mr. Roussel reiterated on France 2 his desire to “continue to defend an energy mix with renewables and nuclear”. “There will always be a French Communist Party, a group in the National Assembly which will retain its autonomy. We need hope and successful reforms”he defended.
There are also some differences on nominations between the Nupes parties. On the communist side, this is particularly the case in the 4e district of the Rhone. While the “rebellious” have invested the journalist Taha Bouhafs, the Communists want to invest the mayor of Venissieux, Michèle Picard. “I fully understand Michèle Picard’s anger and candidacy”, said Mr. Roussel Monday morning. He says he told La France insoumise (LFI) “there was a problem”. “I don’t understand that they invest someone who has been convicted of racial slur. We ask LFI to review this application and we say that it is not serious”, he launched. Mr. Bouhafs had been sentenced in 2021 for “public insult on the grounds of origin” following calling police unionist Linda Kebbab a“Service Arabic” on Twitter in 2020. He appealed that conviction.
