After announcing his candidacy for the French presidential elections scheduled to be held in April 2027, the leader of the “France Proud” party (far left), Jean-Luc Mélenchon, on Tuesday, sent a message to “the French people” in which he presented the most prominent features of his political and economic program. He called for radical political change with "the transition to the Sixth Republic," stressing that the results of these elections are still open despite the far-right's advance in opinion polls.

Published on: 05/06/2026 - 14:33

After announcing his candidacy for the French presidential elections for the fourth time (after 2012, 2017 and 2022) on May 3rd, the leader of the “Proud France” party (far left), Jean-Luc Mélenchon, sent a “message to the French people” presenting his political and economic project.

Mélenchon stressed in the letter that “the election results are not predetermined,” despite the expectations of opinion polls that favor the victory of the candidate of the far-right National Rally party.

He wrote: “If we convince voters in the first round, we will win in the second round. But we must begin work instead of conflict,” recalling that “in 2022, opinion polls expected me to lag about 20 points behind the extreme right, but in the end, only one point prevented us from reaching the second round.”

“We are threatened by all-out war, and France is not prepared for this situation.”

At the beginning of his message, the leader of “proud France” criticized the “devastating” outcome of President Emmanuel Macron, asking the French for help and “sponsorship” in order to “turn the page.”

He provided an accurate analysis of the situation in France and the world. He said: “We are entering a turbulent chapter in world history. There is a deep and accelerating disruption affecting the climate and life on Earth. Water, air and biodiversity are common resources that are in danger. The entire human civilization will be put to a difficult test.”

Read also: Leader of “Proud France” Jean-Luc Mélenchon announces his candidacy for the 2027 French presidential elections

He added: "We are threatened by an all-out war, and France is not prepared for this situation. Liberal policies have destroyed the state, public services, and social security, which constitute its infrastructure."

He also spoke of "the poverty and hunger that burden millions of people in France and in the overseas territories," noting that some have become "richer than ever before," and yet they "refuse to make their just contribution to the public good."

France must not “inaction in the face of the genocide in Gaza and the invasion of Lebanon”

Mélenchon called for mobilization and work to win in 2027, with the aim of "changing the face of France." In this regard, he wrote: “The hour of great change has arrived. Let us celebrate a new and united France around national goals consistent with the common human interest. It is the moment of citizen revolution.”

To achieve these goals, Mélenchon stressed in his letter that he is “surrounded by a cohesive team, ready to rule, with recognized competencies and not involved in the chaos of personal conflicts that tear apart all other political formations.” He also called for "the transition to the Sixth Republic" and granting "power to the people by organizing popular referendums, and granting the right to remove any elected official" if he does not adhere to his duties.

At the international level, Mélenchon stressed that "France must devote itself to peace and not hesitate in the face of the genocide in Gaza, the invasion of Lebanon, or the illegal war against Iran."

Read also Mélenchon: What happened to his candidacy in the 2027 French presidential elections?

In his letter, he also touched on other political and social issues, such as the decline in purchasing power and the problem of racial discrimination, in addition to environmental problems that must be taken into consideration within the framework of what he called the “environmental planning” policy.

A message in the style of François Mitterrand

This is the first time that Jean-Luc Mélenchon has sent a direct, written message to the French to launch his election campaign. Candidates often choose to communicate with their fellow citizens via social media networks.

According to the "Proud France" party, millions of copies of this message will be distributed throughout France next Saturday and Sunday by activists and supporters of Mélenchon's candidacy, whose number has reached "more than 150,000 people." They will also be placed in mailboxes for the French to read.

The late Socialist President François Mitterrand (1981-1995) was the first to use the letter as a means of communicating with the French, during his candidacy for a second term in 1988, which he won against Jacques Chirac.

Nicolas Sarkozy (2007-2012) also used a “message to the French people” during the presidential elections in 2012 and then Emmanuel Macron in 2022.

The question is: Will Jean-Luc Mélenchon succeed this time in reaching the Elysee Palace after having so far failed to qualify for the second round?

The road seems not easy for the leader of “proud France,” as the latest opinion polls do not expect him to reach the second round in April 2027. According to these polls, the electoral battle may be confined to the candidate of the far-right National Rally party (Marine Le Pen or Jordan Bardella), and perhaps between the mayor of Le Havre (north) and former prime minister Edouard Philippe, who announced his candidacy on behalf of the centrist “Afaq” party. Will Mélenchon disprove these expectations?

Taher Hani

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