The leader of the "Proud France" party and the candidate of the radical left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, said in front of a crowd of his supporters on Saturday that "all things must change," months away from the French presidential elections, in which he is one of the most prominent candidates. At a time when many among the ranks of the traditional left in France oppose Mélenchon's positions, he pledged that he would not tone them down, stressing, "We will fight until the last second, and in the end we will win."
Published on: 07/11/2026 - 22:47 Last updated: 07/11/2026 - 23:06
To view this content from YouTube, it is necessary to allow the collection of viewing rates and YouTube ads.
It appears that an application in your Internet browser is preventing the video player from loading. In order to view this content, you must cancel its use.
In Le Bourget, a suburb of Paris, in the presence of about 20,000 of his supporters, the leader of the “Proud France” party and the candidate of the radical left, Jean-Luc Mélenchon (75 years old), confirmed in a rally on Saturday that he is determined to succeed President Emmanuel Macron.
'A major political shift'
Mélenchon renewed his attack on Macron, who belongs to the centrist movement, saying, "We are witnessing a strange moment. The death throes of Macronism are reflected in the form of brutal practices, violent police practices, and unexpected outbursts of violence at the end of the demonstrations."
"I will suggest to you one thing that is workable. It is actually a moderate proposal. (...) All things must change," he said, adding, "We are paving the way for a major political transformation in France." Meanwhile, the French authorities accuse the "Proud France" party of inciting violence during the demonstrations.
For its part, opinion polls expect the leader of the Proud France Party to reach the second round of elections for the first time, to face the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, at a time when expectations indicate that he may suffer a severe defeat in that decisive round.
High school students' demonstrations
For weeks, France has witnessed demonstrations by high school students in protest against deteriorating educational conditions and the university guidance system. In parallel, widespread protests against the high cost of living and inequality began, reaching their peak on October 17 with the worst riots in France in years.
“A dark end to the era” of Macron
Mélenchon accused Macron of overseeing a "dark end to his reign," noting that the far right, led by Marine Le Pen, "has nothing to offer except racism."
In addition, at a time when many among the ranks of the traditional left in France oppose Mélenchon’s positions, he pledged that he would not tone them down, stressing, “We will fight until the last second, and in the end we will win.”
Ukraine: “Only the people decide what they want”
In his speech, the proud leader of France touched on the Ukrainian file, pledging that if he wins, he will lead active efforts to end the conflict, and stressing the need for Europe to have an active role in any peace talks.
He also raised the issue of the Donbass region, located in eastern Ukraine, over which Russia has controlled large areas and demands to impose its sovereignty over it.
He said, "It is not possible to accept the idea of any peace that includes concessions on territory in Ukraine without asking the concerned population whether or not they agree to be on this or that side of the border," stressing that "only the people can decide what they want."
France 24/AFP
Keywords related to the article
The content you want to browse is no longer in service or is currently unavailable.
