French Socialist politician Jérôme Guedj publicly criticized La France Insoumise (LFI) and its leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, on Sunday, accusing the left-wing party of harboring a “moral responsibility” due to its associations with groups he described as violent. Guedj, a candidate in the 2027 presidential election, leveled the accusations during an appearance on LCI television.
Guedj asserted that LFI demonstrated “connivance,” “fascination,” and “solidarity” with “violent movements,” while simultaneously maintaining that no direct link existed between the actions of an individual perpetrator of violence and the party itself. He specifically called for Raphaël Arnault, an LFI member of parliament and founder of the dissolved anti-fascist group La Jeune Garde, to step down from his position, citing the investigation into two of Arnault’s assistants who have been placed under formal investigation.
The deputy for Essonne, and the first Socialist to formally declare his candidacy for the 2027 presidential race, advocated for a complete cessation of alliances with LFI, including in upcoming municipal elections. He expressed regret over what he characterized as a lack of “clarity” within his own party regarding its relationship with LFI. “It is better to risk losing an election than to lose your soul,” Guedj stated.
Guedj further contended that Mélenchon is currently the “best ally” of Jordan Bardella, the president of the Rassemblement National (National Rally), a far-right political party in France. He also criticized what he termed a “gigantesque whitewashing operation” intended to obscure the fact that political violence is “above all the work of extremist right-wing groups.”
The remarks come amid broader political tensions in France, including recent scrutiny of left-wing parties’ stances on international conflicts. Earlier this month, French Socialists paused their alliance with the left-wing NUPES coalition—which includes LFI—due to disagreements over the stance on Hamas, according to Euractiv. This followed outrage sparked by comments from a French MP who stated that Israelis were “not welcome” at the Olympics, as reported by The Arab Weekly.
Recent reporting by Le Monde has highlighted ongoing concerns regarding Mélenchon’s approach to accusations of antisemitism, characterizing it as one of “ambiguity.” Guedj’s statements represent a further escalation of criticism from within the Socialist party towards LFI, signaling a potential realignment of political forces ahead of future elections.
