Jean Birnbaum questions repeated mistakes of the left
In his essay 'La force d’être juste', Jean Birnbaum addresses a young left-wing activist to trace the historical mistakes of his camp. He discusses the recent context of the European elections and the dissolution of the National Assembly. The author urges learning from courageous figures who have admitted these errors.
Jean Birnbaum, director of Le Monde des livres, publishes a new essay titled 'La force d’être juste', in which he converses with a young left-wing man met on a train. Betting on history, the author traces the paths of courageous figures who have admitted the errors repeatedly made by the left.
The political context is tense: one month after European elections where the far right came first, the National Assembly was dissolved. In this climate, the main left-wing party, La France Insoumise, conducted a purge in its ranks. Several historical figures were sidelined or pushed out for expressing disagreements or criticizing the movement's leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon. These deputies were accused of sowing division and 'playing the game of' the far right.
Birnbaum quotes George Orwell, who wrote about this persistent accusation in a collection of chronicles: 'It is a sort of magical formula or incantation, intended to hide disturbing truths. When you are told that by asserting…'. The author urges the young activist to draw lessons from this with frankness, emphasizing the need to avoid repeating historical mistakes to move forward.
This essay, presented as exclusive, invites deep reflection on the future of the French left, marked by recent internal divisions.