Paris (France) (AFP) – The National Council (parliament) of the Communist Party announced on Saturday that any member who supported a candidate other than the leader of the movement Fabien Roussel would put themselves "outside the party".

Published on: 07/11/2026 - 14:38

This decision targets the communist deputies who announced Friday to support the candidacy of the leader of La France insoumise Jean-Luc Mélenchon: their leader Stéphane Peu, Elsa Faucillon and Soumya Bourouaha.

Also a signatory, Cher MP Nicolas Sansu "returned his party card" after being the subject of a complaint for harassment and being suspended from his federation, according to the PCF. He still remains financially attached to the party according to the Assembly website.

Five overseas elected officials who were members of the same group as the Communists in the Assembly had also announced their support for Mr. Mélenchon.

“Out of respect for the democratic life of our party”, all members “must respect the majority choice”, believes the communist body in a press release.

At the beginning of September, PCF activists voted 72% to support the candidacy for the Élysée of the party's national secretary Fabien Roussel, who had been reappointed in July.

“This is why a member who chooses to support another candidate in the presidential election does not respect our collective and democratic choice (...). Anyone who makes this choice places themselves outside the party and its authorities,” writes the National Council.

And this member “can no longer participate (in party bodies, editor’s note) and can no longer speak on behalf of the PCF during this period”.

The communist deputies who chose to support Mr. Mélenchon justified their decision in particular by the risk of victory for the National Rally candidate Marine Le Pen, the favorite for this election.

© 2026 AFP

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