Lyon, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Marseille, Poitiers, Besançon, Tours… The new political deal is now greene. What will happen now for Europe Ecologie-les Verts in anticipation, in particular, of the presidential election of 2022? “It’s more than the union of the lefts that is possible. It is a recomposition of the political landscape, around ecology, that we are calling for, “explains the Green MEP. Yannick Jadot. Interview.
Did you expect such a score in the municipal elections?
During the campaign, and especially in recent days, we felt a great desire to change, whether on the issue of transport, housing, food; a great aspiration to organize a different world. This was reflected in a fairly historic way in the polls on Sunday evening, even if the abstention rate is at an extremely worrying level. We will have to restore the link between the French and their elected representatives. Environmental mayors will get down to it.
Has the health crisis amplified this green wave?
There is a search for meaning, on our lifestyles, our housing, the density of cities, food, travel, solidarity, new democratic practices … In a whole part of the population, there is the envy, the desire for a credible change in our society, socially and economically realistic. The speeches of the ecological candidates were in this vein. It’s ecology in action!
What also marks this election is the appearance of a new generation of elected officials…
We campaigned around a triptych: ecology, solidarity and democracy. There is an expectation of renewed teams at the local level. It is very strong in certain cities, a little less in others which already have young elected representatives.
Is the hard part starting now for Europe Ecologie-les Verts?
Elected ecologists will have to prepare cities for ecological transition, to resist the shock of heat waves, to climatic shocks. They will also have to reweave the distended link between the French and politics, between the working classes and politics. The latter are in such distrust that they will no longer vote. You have to be very careful !
After this historic score, we naturally think of 2022 … Are the cards shuffled?
There will clearly be a municipal before and after 2020. It is a real political turning point in the country. The political landscape is recomposed around ecology, solidarity, democracy. There are the victories of the environmentalists, and then as in Nantes, Rennes, Paris or Montpellier, victories that were not embodied by environmentalists, but around similar ideas. We will have to continue to gather around this project, to build not timely coalitions, but a real dynamic. This work must continue after the municipal elections, with a view to the departmental, regional and presidential elections.
Is this union of the lefts possible at the national level?
It’s more than the union of the lefts! It is a recomposition of the political landscape, around ecology, that we are calling for, in the face of a Republic on the march which has registered on the right, in alliances with the Republicans, to fight us. We knew the republican front against the far right, today we have a declining front against environmentalists and what they embody, the climate, biodiversity, solidarity …
Environment ministers in the next reshuffle, is it possible?
No. We are all enlightened by Nicolas Hulot… The question is not to have green ministers, since we know that it is not they who decide. The real question is: what is the political project? However, for three years, the President of the Republic has spoken a lot about ecology, but has done very little.
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