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Jean-Luc Mélenchon

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Jean-Luc Mélenchon
MEP
Member of the European Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 July 2009
ConstituencySouth-West France
Minister of Vocational Education
In office
27 March 2000 – 6 May 2002
Prime MinisterLionel Jospin
Preceded byClaude Allègre
Succeeded byLuc Ferry
Senator
In office
1 October 2004 – 7 January 2010
Succeeded byMarie-Agnès Labarre
ConstituencyEssonne
In office
2 October 1986 – 24 September 1995
ConstituencyEssonne
Personal details
Born
Jean-Luc Antoine Pierre Mélenchon

(1951-08-19) 19 August 1951 (age 73)
Tangier, Tangier International Zone
Political partyLa France insoumise (2016–present)
Left Party (2008–present)
Other political
affiliations		Socialist Party (1977–2008)
Internationalist Communist Organisation (before 1977)
Alma materUniversity of Franche-Comté
WebsiteOfficial website
European Party website

Jean-Luc Mélenchon (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃.lyk me.lɑ̃.ʃɔ̃]; born 19 August 1951) is a French politician.

After joining the Socialist Party in 1976, he was successively elected municipal councilor of Massy (1983), general councilor of the Essonne departement (1985), and senator of the same department (1986, reelected in 1995 and 2004). He also served as Minister-Delegate of Vocational Education between 2000 and 2002, under the Minister of National Education, Jack Lang, in the cohabitation government of Lionel Jospin.

He was part of the left-wing of the Socialist Party until the Reims Congress of 2008, at the outcome of which he left that party to found the Left Party with deputy Marc Dolez.[1][2] He was the president of the party, and then the co-president of it, along with Martine Billard, until August 2014.[3]

As leader of the Left Party, he joined the electoral coalition of the Left Front before the 2009 European elections and was elected member of the European Parliament in the South-West constituency (reelected in 2014). During the protest movement against the pension reform of 2010 his public stature grew thanks to his many public and television appearances. He was also the candidate of that coalition in the 2012 presidential election, at the outcome of which he came in fourth, receiving 11.1% of the votes. He founded the movement La France insoumise (FI) in February 2016. He was a candidate in the 2017 presidential election "outside the frame of political parties" at the outcome of which he again came in fourth, receving 19.58% of the votes.

Biography

Early life (1951–1976)

Born in Tangier (Tangier International Zone),[4] he was educated at the Lycée Pierre-Corneille in Rouen (Normandy).[5]

His father, Georges, was a postmaster of Spanish descent, and his mother, Jeanine Bayona, was a primary school teacher of Spanish and Sicilian descent.[6] He grew up in Morocco, until his family moved to France in 1962.[4]

With a degree in philosophy from the University of Franche-Comté in Besançon, and having gained the CAPES (a professional teaching qualification), he became a teacher before entering politics.[4][5]

Socialist mitterrandist leader (1976–1986)

Jean-Luc Mélenchon left Besançon to enter professional life in Lons-le-Saunier (Jura) and joined the Socialist Party (PS) in September 1976.[7] He soon assumed local and departmental responsibilities (deputy section secretary of Montaigu) and developed a federal newspaper that fought for a union between PS and the French Communist Party (PCF). It was at this time that the latter broke the agreements of the union of the left on a joint program of government. He then came to the attention of Claude Germon, mayor of Massy (Essone) and member of the executive office of the PS responsible for the business section. Without stable work after his application was rejected at the Croix du Jura newspaper,[8] he was hired by Claude Germon to become his private secretary.[9]

He became one of the leading Mitterrandist leaders of the Essonne federation, which led him to the position of first secretary of this federation at the Valence Congress in 1981 – he remained in this position until 1986. Positioning himself both against the "Second left" of Michel Rocard and the "Center of socialist studies, research and education"(CERES) of Jean-Pierre Chevènement.

He was elected senator during the senatorials of 1986.[10]

Socialist Party (1986–2008)

Departure from the Socialists and foundation of the Left Party (2008–2012)

At the Reims Congress, in September 2008, the political current "Trait d'union" created after the victory of the "no" in the French European Constitution referendum of 2005, Mélenchon makes a new contribution. On the eve of the filing of the motions, an agreement was reached between the seven contributions of the left wing of the PS, and Jean-Luc Mélenchon is one of the signatories of the motion C entitled "A world of advance", led by Benoît Hamon.[11] He described this gathering as a "historic event":[12] for the first time, this motion brings together all the sensibilities of the left wing of the PS, with emblematic personalities like Gérard Filoche, Marie-Noëlle Lienemann and Paul Quilès.

On 6 November 2008, the Socialist militants voted to decide between 6 motions. The motion supported by Ségolène Royal led with about 29% of the votes cast, while the one led by Benoît Hamon came in fourth with 18.5%. For Jean-Luc Mélenchon, it is a victory of the outgoing majority, which carries 80% of the votes (with the three firsts motions) and, among them, the motion advocating the alliance in the center.[13] Believing themselves too far from this trend to the point that it would not be useful to take part in the congress, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Marc Dolez announced on November 7 their decision, "by fidelity to their commitments" and for their independence of action, to leave the Socialist Party and to create a new movement "without concession facing the right".[14]

They announce "the construction of a new left-wing party", simply called the "Left Party" (on the German model of Die Linke), and call for "the constitution of a left-wing front for the European elections".[15] On November 18, in a meeting with the French Communist Party, the two parties announced their alliance in the form of a "partnership", within the framework of a "left front for another democratic and social Europe, against the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon and the current European Treaties". The launch meeting of the Left Party is held on 29 November in Saint-Ouen, in the presence of Die Linke's co-chairman, Oskar Lafontaine.[16]

First presidential candidacy (2012)

Main article: French presidential election, 2012

He was the candidate representing the Left Front (Communist Party of France, Left Party, Unitarian Left) in the 2012 French presidential election.[17][18] He took fourth place and achieved 11.10% of the vote, trailing behind François Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Marine Le Pen (and their respective parties, the Socialist Party, Union for a Popular Movement, and National Front). In comparison, the winner François Hollande received 28.63% of the vote.[19][failed verification]

Jean-Luc Mélenchon in 2013 in Toulouse.

Presidency of François Hollande (2012–2017)

Main article: French legislative election, 2012

Mélenchon represented the Left Front in the Pas-de-Calais' 11th constituency, to confront his rival Marine Le Pen, where she had over 31% in the presidential election.[20] He received third place with 21.46% of the vote, narrowly edged out for second by Socialist Party member Phillip Kemel. Mélenchon decided not to stand in the second round of the election after this result.[21]

During the presidency of François Hollande, Mélenchon became one of the most critical voices in the left against his centrist free-market policy. He denounced a betrayal to the culture and ideas of the French Left.

Second presidential candidacy (2017)

Main article: French presidential election, 2017

On the 5th of July 2015, Mélenchon announced he was running once again for the presidency. On Feburary 10th 2016, Melenchon launched La France insoumise (Unbowed France) a far left wing political platform during an interview on the french news station TF1[22] and not on the platform of the Left Front like he did in 2012. La France insoumise was then subsequently endorsed by several parties, such as as the Left Party and French Communist Party with members of the Europe Écologie Les Verts such as Sergio Coronado, a gay assembly member for the 2nd Overseas Constituency[23] and the mayor of Grenoble, Éric Piolle.[24]

On January 12th, 2017, he got the 500 sponsors required to be validated by the Constitutional Council. After Benoit Hamon won the nomination for the Parti Socialiste on a hard left platform, beating former Prime Minister, Manuel Valls 58-41[25], Hamon announced on TF1 on the 27th of February that he and Melenchon had been in talks to form an alliance but their stances on the European Union seperated them as Melenchon's platform was to renegotiate EU treaties or hold a referendum. France 24 reported following this that, "Adding their scores would place a candidate in first or second place"[26]

Jean-Luc Mélenchon held at a consistent 12% for most of the campaign, until a late upwards surge which put him just behind third place Francois Fillon at 18%, this late surge is mainly due to Mélenchon's performance within the second presidental debate hosted by BFM TV and CNews where according to an Elabe poll, he was found the most convincing candidate by 25%[27] However, he is did not qualify for the second round of voting, winning 19% of the vote in the first round, placing fourth.

After the first round, Mélenchon refused to endorse Macron and refused to tell his voters to vote against Le Pen as he had done in 2002 [28][29] following constant criticism for this choice, Mélenchon invited members of La France insoumise to vote on who he will endorse with the choices being "Vote for Emmanuel Macron", "Blank Vote" or "Abstain" with the result being announced on the 2nd of May [30]

His campaign positions included the intent to establish a Sixth Republic and preserve the environment. According to the NGOs for the development aid Action Against Hunger, Action santé mondiale, CARE France and ONE Campaign, Jean-luc Mélenchon is the candidate in the presidential election who is the most engaged regarding international solidarity. Together with other French intellectuals, he vigorously denounces free trade between France and the United States as an example of global exploitation.[31]

Political positions

Jean-Luc Mélenchon is a socialist republican and historical materialist, inspired primarily by Jean Jaurès (the founder of French republican socialism). He is a proponent of increased labour rights and the expansion of French welfare programmes.[32] Mélenchon has also called for the mass redistribution of wealth to rectify existing socioeconomic inequalities.[32] Domestic policies proposed by Mélenchon include full state reimbursement for healthcare costs, a reduction in presidential powers in favour of the legislature, and the easing of immigration laws.[33] He also supports the legalisation of cannabis.[34]

Jean-Luc Mélenchon (right) with Olivier Besancenot (left) and José Bové (centre) at a meeting to rally support for the "No" vote in the European Constitution referendum of 2005.

Mélenchon is an outspoken critic of the European Union (EU), which he claims has been corrupted through neoliberalism.[35] During his 2012 campaign, Mélenchon positioned himself against the trend towards economic globalisation, which he denounced as disproportionately profiting the financial industry and "high income earners" at the expense of the poor.[35] He insisted international organisations such as the EU threatened to "strangle the voice of the people".[36]

He also supports a renegotiation of European treaties.[37]

Mélenchon opposes the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which he perceives as an affront to France's national sovereignty.[36] He has repeatedly called for France to withdraw from NATO.[36]

Jean-Luc Mélenchon has been labelled a "populist" by numerous different people, with the PS senator Luc Carvounas saying he goes to "the summits of demagoguery and populism" and the left leaning magazine, Slate stating that Mélenchon's rhetoric is "shocking" and implying his entire political life is based around pleasing the people[38] He has been compared to Marine Le Pen in terms of style and debating [39] [40] with political scientist Dominique Reynié even going as far to say he "flirts with xenophobia when it helps him"[41]

Anti-German sentiment

Main article: Anti-German sentiment

In Germany in June 2013, statements by Mélenchon in a radio interview for France Inter caused a stir in which he mocked the Germans.[citation needed] During a fierce TV debate with the Union politician Ingeborg Gräßle, Mélenchon said that "the French had not elected a CDU-CSU government."[citation needed]

After the German Chancellor in December 2014 described reform efforts so far in France and Italy as insufficient, Mélenchon told Merkel through Twitter: "Shut your mouth, Mrs. Merkel! France is free."[42] Jean-Luc Mélenchon, however, denies being prejudiced against the Germans and claims to have founded his party hand in hand with Oskar Lafontaine.[43] After the referendum on the Greek sovereign debt crisis in early July 2015, he said that the "right-wing German government" was primarily responsible for the aggravation of the crisis.[44]

Commenting for The Guardian in April 2017, Natalie Nougayrède, a former executive editor and managing editor of Le Monde,[45] noted:

"In his 2015 book Bismarck’s Herring (The German Poison), Mélenchon wrote that 'Germany is again a danger', its 'imperialism' is 'returning', and the EU is its 'new empire'. He's described Germans as 'grumbling Teutons' who seek to 'deport' their old people to eastern Europe or Thailand. And he's written that German 'expansionism' was at work in the country's 1990 reunification – an 'annexation' of East Germany, in his words. That in itself is no small rewriting of history, and no small denial of a people's freely expressed will after the fall of communism. His criticism of Angela Merkel's eurozone policies goes far beyond the economic. It peddles nationalistic, if not bigoted, hatreds. He may have tried to soften that impression by saying he wants 'the peoples of Europe' to revolt against their governments – and not start to fight among themselves. But he has hardly backtracked on any of his earlier statements. Much of this echoes and amplifies Le Pen's rhetoric, rather than helping to combat it."[46]

Political career

Governmental functions[4]

Minister of Vocational Education, 2000–2002.

Electoral mandates

European Parliament

Member of European Parliament since 2009.

Senate of France

Senator of Essonne, 1986–2000 (became minister in 2000), 2004–2010 (resignation, elected in European Parliament in 2009). Elected in 1986, reelected in 1995, 2004. (At the age of 35, he was the youngest member of the Senate when he was elected to it in 1986.)

General Council

Vice-president of the General Council of Essonne, 1998–2001.

General councillor of Essonne, 1985–1992, 1998–2004. Reelected in 1998.

Municipal Council

Deputy-mayor of Massy, Essonne, 1983–1995.

Municipal councillor of Massy, Essonne, 1983–2001. Reelected in 1989, 1995.

Political function

Co-President of the Left Party, 2008–2014.

Publications

Mélenchon's published works include:

  • Mélenchon, Jean-Luc; Amar, Cécile (22 March 2017). De la vertu (in French). Editions de l'Observatoire. ISBN 979-1-03-290059-8.
  • Mélenchon, Jean-Luc (1 December 2016). L'avenir en commun : Le programme de la France insoumise et son candidat (in French). Seuil. ISBN 978-2021317510.
  • Mélenchon, Jean-Luc (16 November 2016). Le hareng de Bismarck: Le poison allemand (in French) (paperback ed.). J'ai lu. ISBN 978-2290127940.
  • Mélenchon, Jean-Luc (8 October 2014). L'ère du peuple (in French). Fayard. ISBN 978-2213685755.

References

  1. ^ Statement by Jean‑Luc Mélenchon made after he left the Socialist Party Template:Fr icon
  2. ^ Speech by Jean-Luc Mélenchon at the creation congress of the Left Party Template:Fr icon
  3. ^ Sulzer, Alexandre (24 August 2014). "Quelle mouche a piqué Jean‑Luc Mélenchon?". L’Express (in French). Paris. ISSN 0245-9949. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Décidément, Jean‑Luc Mélenchon aime les subtilités. Celui dont on connaissait le 'vague à l'âme' depuis une interview pour le site Hexagones.fr fin juillet a confirmé vendredi qu'il quittait la co‑présidence du Parti de Gauche (PG) avec Martine Billard. {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d "Le CV de Jean‑Luc Mélenchon", Europe 1, 5 March 2012
  5. ^ a b "Lycée Pierre Corneille de Rouen: History". lgcorneille-lyc.spip.ac-rouen.fr. 19 April 1944. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  6. ^ "Qui connaît Jean-Luc Mélenchon ?".
  7. ^ Lilian Alemagna and Stéphane Alliès, Mélenchon le plébéien, Paris, Robert Laffont, 2012 (ISBN 978-2-221-12646-2), p.55
  8. ^ Lilian Alemagna and Stéphane Alliès, Mélenchon le plébéien, Paris, Robert Laffont, 2012 (ISBN 978-2-221-12646-2), p.63
  9. ^ Lilian Alemagna and Stéphane Alliès, Mélenchon le plébéien, Paris, Robert Laffont, 2012 (ISBN 978-2-221-12646-2), p.64
  10. ^ Ravinel, Sophie de (12 August 2012). "Quand Mélenchon est devenu le benjamin du Sénat" – via Le Figaro.
  11. ^ "Congrès PS: Hamon, Emmanuelli, Lienemann et Filoche présentent une motion". 23 April 2017.
  12. ^ "Mélenchon qualifie "d'événement historique" l'unité de l'aile gauche du PS". 23 April 2017.
  13. ^ HACQUART, Didier. "Jean-Luc Mélenchon et Marc Dolez quittent le PS – Le blog politique de Didier HACQUART, Adjoint PS de Vitrolles (13) entre 2002 et 2008".
  14. ^ lefigaro.fr. "Jean-Luc Mélenchon quitte le PS".
  15. ^ "Jean-Luc Mélenchon quitte le PS". 7 November 2008 – via Le Monde.
  16. ^ "Jean-Luc Mélenchon lance son Parti de gauche".
  17. ^ Candidates officially endorsed by Conseil constitutionnel for the 2012 presidential elections, La Tribune. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  18. ^ De la Baume, Maïa; Erlanger, Steven (10 April 2012). "In French Vote, Sound and Fury From the Left". New York Times (New York ed.). p. A6. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ "Elections Législatives – Results". France 24. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "Election présidentielle 2012 – Résultats du 1er tour par circonscription" (in French). Politiquemania.
  21. ^ "French far‑left leader Jean‑Luc Melenchon admits defeat by far‑right's Le Pen". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. AFP. 11 June 2012. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015. Mr Melenchon said he would not stand in next Sunday's second round after coming third, instead leaving his Socialist rival to battle Ms Le Pen. . . . Mr Melenchon won 11 per cent of votes in the April‑May presidential vote that was won by Socialist Francois Hollande, while Ms Le Pen won almost 18 per cent of votes. {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "Jean-Luc Mélenchon annonce sa candidature à l'élection présidentielle". Le Monde.fr (in French). 10 February 2016. ISSN 1950-6244. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  23. ^ "Le choix de l'insoumission". Club de Mediapart (in French). Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  24. ^ Beuve-Méry, Alain (14 April 2017). "Eric Piolle : « Je voterai Mélenchon pour encourager le rassemblement de la gauche »". Le Monde.fr (in French). ISSN 1950-6244. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  25. ^ "Résultats du second tour - Les Primaires citoyennes de la Gauche - 22 et 29 janvier 2017". Les Primaires citoyennes de la Gauche - 22 et 29 janvier 2017 (in French). Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  26. ^ "French left-wing candidates fail to forge alliance in presidential race - France 24". France 24. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  27. ^ "Qui a été le plus convaincant ?". ELABE (in French). 5 April 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  28. ^ "VIDÉO - En 2002, Mélenchon n'avait pas hésité à appeler à voter pour Chirac contre Le Pen - Le Lab Europe 1" (in French). Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  29. ^ "Présidentielle : Jean-Luc Mélenchon ne fait pas de différence entre Emmanuel Macron et Marine Le Pen - Le Lab Europe 1" (in French). Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  30. ^ Présidentielle 2017 : Jean-Luc Mélenchon ne donne pas de consigne de vote pour le second tour (in French), Le Monde, retrieved 29 April 2017 {{citation}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 20 (help)
  31. ^ Vergès, Marie de (1 February 2017). "Les candidats à la présidentielle évalués par les ONG d'aide au développement" – via Le Monde.
  32. ^ a b Pr’ncipe, Catarina; Sunkara, Bhaskar (July 2016). Europe in Revolt: Mapping the New European Left. Chicago: Haymarket Books. pp. 91–92. ISBN 978-1-60846-593-4.
  33. ^ Fenby, Jonathan (November 2016). France: A Modern History from the Revolution to the War with Terror. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 448–449. ISBN 978-1-250-09683-8.
  34. ^ French presidential election: how the candidates compare. The Guardian. Author – Angelique Chrisafis. Published 4 April 2017. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  35. ^ a b Heinen, Nicolaus; Hartleb, Florian (2014). "Euroscepticism gaining currency? Implications of the EU elections for economic policy" (PDF). Frankfurt, Germany: Deutsche Bank AG. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2015. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ a b c "French left rally behind anti-NATO Mélenchon". France Médias Monde (France 24). Issy-les-Moulineaux, Paris. 6 April 2014. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ Focraud, Arnaud (21 June 2016). "Le Pen, Mélenchon, Dupont-Aignan… A chaque eurosceptique son 'Frexit'". Le Journal du Dimanche (in French). Retrieved 30 June 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ "Le populisme «vintage» de Jean-Luc Mélenchon, trop élaboré pour être efficace". Slate.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  39. ^ "Le Pen-Mélenchon: la mode est au langage populiste". LExpress.fr (in French). 5 April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  40. ^ Mourgue, Marion (24 June 2011). "Les Inrocks - Entre le FN et le Front de gauche, la frontière est-elle poreuse?". Les Inrocks. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  41. ^ "Jean-Luc Mélenchon n'est pas raciste mais..." Le Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  42. ^ Wiegel, Michaela (10 June 2013). "Frankreich: Unlustige Deutsche" – via FAZ.NET.
  43. ^ "Contributions sur l'Allemagne – J.-L. Mélenchon".
  44. ^ "Schuldenkrise - "Griechenland kann keine Gegenleistung mehr erbringen"".
  45. ^ "Natalie Nougayrède". theguardian.com. The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  46. ^ Nougayrède, Natalie (18 April 2017). "Anti-German, soft on Putin – Mélenchon is no saviour of the left". The Guardian Comment is Free blog. London. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
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