Socialist regional president of Occitanie, Carole Delga, has stated she rejects any alliance with La France insoumise (LFI) for the March 15 and 22 municipal elections, calling it a 'dishonor' and urging a 'clear break' with the party. In an interview with La Tribune, she highlights deep differences on living together, the Republic, and secularism. She does not rule out withdrawals to counter the Rassemblement national (RN), but without merging lists.
Carole Delga, the socialist president of the Occitanie region, expresses in an interview published on Sunday, March 1, in La Tribune her firm opposition to any alliance between the Parti socialiste (PS) and La France insoumise (LFI) ahead of the municipal elections scheduled for March 15 and 22. She describes such a union as a 'dishonor' and a 'renunciation' of socialist history, referencing figures like Jaurès, Blum, and Mitterrand.
'I ask, once again, the leadership of the Parti socialiste for a clear and definitive break with La France insoumise. Otherwise, it is the renunciation of our own history,' she states. Delga, who has long opposed agreements with Jean-Luc Mélenchon's party, highlights differing visions on living together, the Republic, and secularism. She warns that if there is a union with LFI after the first round in any city, she will remind socialists of what this renunciation means.
This stance comes amid tensions for LFI, marked by the case of the death of far-right militant Quentin Deranque, for which members of Jeune Garde, a group close to LFI, are under judicial investigation. Jean-Luc Mélenchon is also facing a new trial for antisemitism following an ironic remark about the pronunciation of Jeffrey Epstein's name. While the PS does not rule out case-by-case alliances in certain cities, Delga categorically rejects such a scenario in Toulouse, where PS candidate François Briançon could benefit from votes of LFI candidate François Piquemal in the second round.
'I have too much respect for the French, the voters, and the militants. I will never win at the price of dishonor. It will be without me,' she declares. However, in the face of a risk of RN victory, she admits the possibility of withdrawals, including in favor of LFI, but without merging lists. 'If there is a risk of RN victory, then we must withdraw, but without fusion. I will never stop fighting the far right, but I will not accept my party uniting with La France insoumise either,' she specifies.
