The crowd was dense. Less than two hours after the final day of the Amfis summer gathering opened on Sunday, August 23, the coffee had already run out. Supporters crowding the stands were forced to settle for tea. But it hardly mattered; they were already energized. And it was to chants of “president, president” that Jean-Luc Mélenchon finally took the stage.
Barely settled, the four-time presidential candidate set the tone: “For us now, not only as an objective, but already as an impatient expectation, victory is possible.” Cheers erupted. The rebellious supporters were more than confident. “Everything is locked down. People are super motivated. This is our window for 2027, it’s now!” rejoiced Étienne.
A Speech to Recharge Batteries Before the Long Road to the Élysée
Few expected a speech centered on the France Insoumise program, which is still being updated. Yasmine, who came with several friends, mainly hoped the fiery orator would “put stars in her eyes.” The small group around her agreed: the speech needed to “recharge the batteries before the rentrée,” marking the start of the long-distance race toward the Élysée.
The optimistic remarks from the leftist leader — for whom “the most important thing is not the number of candidacies, it’s the number of voters” — were satisfying enough, drowning out the background noise of multiplying candidates on the left. But after a summer marked by environmental disasters, Jean-Luc Mélenchon also imposed his theme: ecology. “I want to give meaning to my speech at this moment, the essential, historic task that is ours. I want to build on the growing awareness of the climate context,” he declared.
Positioning as ‘Mr. Ecology’ Against Rivals
This choice was far from accidental. It carries strategic weight as discussions continue with the Ecologists about a potential rally to the Insoumise camp. But it is also about Jean-Luc Mélenchon establishing himself as the “Mr. Ecology” of the presidential race, against a National Rally regularly attacked for its climate skepticism. And above all, against Édouard Philippe, his main rival in the polls for a second-round qualification, who is currently focused on courting his right flank.
It was therefore with relish that the Insoumise leader reminded the audience that he had “managed to bring the term ecological planning into public language,” aiming to highlight his pioneering positioning at a time when the French criticize Emmanuel Macron’s lack of anticipation. Macron was notably scolded by Mélenchon for his infamous “Who could have predicted?” remark.
The Return of ‘Eco-Regions’ as a Central Proposal
Mélenchon emphasized his concept of “eco-regions” — redrawing France’s administrative map according to the course of rivers and streams. The proposal already existed in the 2022 program “L’Avenir en commun,” but it failed to gain traction during that campaign. Five years later, Jean-Luc Mélenchon wants to make it a “central” point to “make ecological planning effective.” He insisted: “Pay attention,” he urged his supporters, because they must “learn to explain it well to others.” The directive was clear: ecology will be key in the campaign.
To cement this, Mélenchon did not hesitate to draw inspiration from what remains perhaps the most famous climate warning in French politics: Jacques Chirac’s 2002 speech about “the house burning while we look elsewhere.” Remixed, Insoumise-style.
When Mélenchon Remixes Chirac
“The house of France, the Republic, is dislocating and it is burning. But the dominant class has other obsessions to offer you,” proclaimed Mélenchon a quarter-century later. The proximity between the radical left’s standard-bearer and the former president does not come naturally. Yet Mélenchon owned his inspiration: “Like François Mitterrand, Jacques Chirac took hits from all sides. Certainly, he was on the right and I am on the left. But this man had a singular relationship with the country, with its population. He was sincerely attached to it,” he explained in La Tribune Dimanche on the eve of his speech.
This is arguably the main novelty in the former parliamentarian’s campaign: the introduction of a dose of patriotism, as a response to opponents who label his party “anti-France.” This Sunday at the Amfis, French flags were just as numerous as those of France Insoumise. A shift, driven by the movement’s founder, that does not convince his entire base.
Christelle, who attended the campaign launch rally in Saint-Denis, found the idea “very good.” “I understand why he highlights it, to stop it being the monopoly of the RN. In Saint-Denis, the fact that we all shouted ‘We are at home’ was great,” she said. Baptiste, in his thirties, agreed: “The ‘We are at home’ is obviously a far-right chant. But since we are heading toward a second round against the RN, I find it strategically strong to be the antithesis. Under an LFI government, everyone will be at home.”
Patriotic Turn Divides the Base
But other activists, like Arnaud, were more skeptical. With LFI and tricolor flags attached to his backpack, he noted that he does not hesitate to wave the national emblem at sporting events. But he judged that “the fact that we are French is not what I want to highlight here. I want to highlight the fact that we are on the left.”
At the end of Mélenchon’s speech, La Marseillaise rang out. Flags waved, but the crowd only sang along at the chorus — contrasting with the enthusiasm of the movement’s elected officials on stage. It will take a bit more to convince the activists. Seconds later, it was the turn of L’Internationale. This time, the enthusiasm was unanimous.
