French Socialists in Open Clash Over LFI Pacts as Faure Blocks Dissent Vote

Overview

• The PS national bureau, which met late Tuesday, turned into a stormy session over second‑round tie‑ups with La France insoumise, the France Unbowed party led by Jean‑Luc Mélenchon.
• Boris Vallaud and Nicolas Mayer‑Rossignol pushed a resolution accusing the leadership of unclear, incoherent signals on LFI, but the party’s direction refused to submit it to a vote.
• First secretary Olivier Faure rejected blame, calling his critics hypocritical, and said the deals were locally made and involved only 0.6% of PS candidates.
• Opponents now consider Faure weakened and plan to raise the pressure in the coming days, in what Europe 1 cast as a shift from clarification to a test of strength.
• The clash follows run‑off mergers in cities such as Nantes, Brest, Clermont‑Ferrand, Toulouse, Limoges, and Tulle after the PS had ruled out any national deal with LFI earlier in March.