Mélenchon Condemns Socialist Party's Shift Towards Centre-Left Alliance Amid Budget Debate

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise, sharply criticized the Socialist Party (PS) for abandoning traditional alliances with the left, including the communists and Greens, to form a new coalition with Gabriel Attal and the center-left Renaissance party. Speaking during a visit to Choisy-le-Roi, Mélenchon argued this political realignment signals a betrayal of leftist values as the PS seeks compromise with the government over the 2026 budget.

Mélenchon explicitly stated that due to this shift, La France Insoumise will not support the socialists in the upcoming municipal elections, for either voting round. He denounced recent budgetary decisions, describing them as extremely harsh, especially in terms of social security reforms, and criticized tax changes allowing the very wealthy to pay even less tax than before. The controversial budget was passed with backing from the PS, MoDem, and Rassemblement National, particularly focusing on amendments to the Impôt sur la fortune immobilière (IFI).

This criticism exposes growing tensions within the French left as the Socialist Party moves closer to center-left alliances, raising questions about electoral strategies and ideological coherence ahead of key local elections and ongoing budget negotiations in the National Assembly.