“We condemn both extreme-left and extreme-right wrongdoing,” said a government official, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly on the sensitive topic. “But there has been a complacency toward the far left, a sort of romanticism in France about the radical left that is dangerous.”
Mélenchon, for his part, has long been a controversial figure in French politics, including for his refusal to immediately condemn the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.
That position crystallized in recent days after he praised the spirit of “resistance” of the Young Guard, a now-disbanded antifascist group that was cofounded by a France Unbowed lawmaker and accused of involvement in the fight; blamed the authorities for the violence; and attacked the National Assembly president for suspending the parliamentary aide who is now under investigation for his role in the affair.
Left gets squeezed
Though Mélenchon ultimately disavowed the violence and said last week that “nothing justifies young Quentin being brought back dead to his parents,” the combative tone of France Unbowed’s response to Deranque’s death — and the National Rally’s ensuing machinations — put other left-wing parties in a tough spot.
Next month’s municipal elections are a two-round affair, and every candidate who scores above 10 percent in the first round advances to the runoff. That means victory often comes down to strategic alliances and convincing a like-minded opponent to swallow their pride and join forces.
But in the wake of Deranque’s death, doing business with France Unbowed could prove risky.