[Solidarity 242 discussed] the impact the rise of the Front de gauche and Jean-Luc Melenchon’s electoral campaign has had on the French far-left.
[Martin Thomas writes] “Look at what has happened to the previous (smaller) minority which quit the NPA in 2009, the Gauche Unitaire led by Christian Picquet. Picquet now chairs Mélenchon’s campaign staff. The GU are not intervening in the Mélenchon campaign to advance revolutionary socialist politics. The Mélenchon campaign has ‘intervened’ in and absorbed them.”
This “has led to junking the ‘old’ programme, and replacing it by no programme at all, beyond a vocal and militant tone on ‘left’ causes as defined by broad public opinion, rather than by a carefully-analysed revision in light of new conditions.”
Now Martin Thomas is careful in weighing his words, but others are no doubt much less inclined.
We know what this means: liquidation of the programme! Capitulation to Stalinism! Pabloism!
In reality the Gauche Unitaire has undergone an evolution followed by important sections of the European far-left, democratic socialists, and parts of the remaining Communist Parties.
This is towards a deeply democratic social republicanism — the political vehicle of a renewed socialist programme.
The Gauche Unitaire has no programme? Read the magnificent Front de gauche’s “L’Humain d’abord”. It is one of the most advanced programmes on the European left.
Read the Gauche Unitaire’s E-Mail newsletter. No programme? Please…
