by MAURICE ULRICH
(Translated by Henry Crapo & reviewed by Isabelle Métral)
“We are going to create a material force from our ideas.” It was on the TV channel France 5, day before yesterday, on quoting none other than Karl Marx, that Jean-Luc Melenchon summed up the ambition of the Front de gauche in marching next Sunday from the Place de la Nation to the Place de la Bastille. It is a march and an event far from ordinary. A citizens’ uprising that is making plenty of noise.
Last week, when the Front de gauche passed the symbolic hurdle of 10 percent in polls for first round of the presidential election, it was clearly understood to be a turning point. Another poll revealed, in passing, that, for nearly half of those polled, Jean-Luc Mélenchon was the candidate with the most dynamic campaign. A “breakthrough”, for the news service Agence France presse.
From a commentator in the newspaper Le Monde, we find this analogy with a race horse: “He prefers to keep up a fast pace, which permits him to stretch out his legs, to let his power be felt, in order to work his way up in the pack, to reach the winners’ positions, even to finish in third place … ”
And on France 5 again, this commentary: “He is a candidate in fine shape” who shies away from no obstacle, “no matter how high the bar.” But putting polls and commentaries aside, the candidate himself noted with humor, “Since last week there are people who treat me with more respect and courtesy.” This said, he added quickly that this breakthrough was first of all thanks to the thousands of men and women who have set to work for the Front de gauche.
L’Humanite for more