Mélenchon Opens 2027 Bid With Mass Rally in Saint‑Denis

Overview

• Jean‑Luc Mélenchon held his first major outdoor campaign meeting at Place Victor‑Hugo in Saint‑Denis, which organisers said drew more than 25,000 people on Sunday, June 7, 2026.
• He used the site’s symbolism between the town hall and the basilica to roll out a ‘Nouvelle France’ theme that links his political project to the city’s multicultural identity and historical memory.
• Mélenchon put public pressure on other left parties by declaring the unitary primary effectively finished and calling on them to fall in behind LFI’s bid.
• He named the Rassemblement National as his principal adversary, accusing it of promoting a ‘suprémacisme’ that divides people by ethnicity and religion, and framed his campaign in direct contrast to RN rhetoric.
• LFI pointed to current polls around 13–15% and the packed launch as signs of momentum but key uncertainties remain, including rival candidates’ upcoming rallies in June and July and a Paris court ruling on July 7 that could affect RN’s candidacy.