Surge in support for French left among youth amid Gaza conflict ahead of EU elections
FRANCE-The left in France is mobilizing around the explosive divides surrounding the Gaza war as voters cast ballots for Sunday’s 2nd June 2024 European election.
Is the Gaza conflict shaping French youth politics?
Leading firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon’s France Unbowed (LFI) is the sole political party placing the utmost priority on the Gaza War. With about 8% of the vote, his party is now trailing the far-right National Rally, which has over 30% of the vote. The socialist group is at 14%, and the centrist President Emmanuel Macron’s list is at 15%. Nadia, a thirty-something French professional with Lebanese ancestry who resides in Paris, was persuaded to vote LFI for the first time by the atrocities of the Gaza War.
There’s no reason why the race of the policeman who shot and killed a French teenager during a traffic check last week should be made public. In France, race is not recognized officially. However, the murder of the 17-year-old French-born North African-American kid, which sparked rioting in the streets, has once more brought to light the country’s hidden emotions about institutional racism under the veneer of colorblind equality. She begged for her identity to be altered, saying, “There’s a need to give a hierarchy to what’s most important to me,” since she was afraid of her employer taking revenge. Her dislike of LFI’s previous backing for Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and his allies, notably Russia and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, is overshadowed by her desire to support lawmakers prepared to increase pressure on Israel in Brussels.
How Is the Gaza war influencing young voters in France?
Declaring its grave concern for the situation in Gaza, France has called for a “immediate and durable truce” in the Israel-Hamas battle. Too many civilians were dying, said Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. Eli Cohen, the foreign minister of Israel, stated that a ceasefire would be a mistake and that it would be a gift to Hamas. Previous calls for a “sustainable ceasefire” were made by the UK and Germany, but they did not specify that it should start right now.
LFI’s most outspoken politician in favor of Palestine, 32-year-old lawyer Rima Hassan, called for “bringing the Palestinian cause into the European Parliament” on Friday, only two days before the election. With images of well-known authors endorsing her party, Ms. Hassan on X tweeted to her 184,000 followers, “On June 9, be on the right side of history.” Among them was Annie Ernaux, the 2022 Nobel Prize laureate in literature. However, it is still uncertain how much support LFI will receive for its pro-Palestine position, which many see as a cynical effort to win over Muslim voters. According to some observers, it’s a hazardous wager because the economy, not foreign policy, is the primary preoccupation of the French people.
Can the Gaza crisis propel the French left in EU elections?
According to thenationalnews, Rejecting charges of opportunism, LFI asserts that it has a moral duty to spread the word about what it regards as a continuous genocide occurring in Gaza, a claim Israel disputes. Born a Palestinian refugee in Syria, Ms. Hassan has stated that she feels compelled to “bring humanity to those reduced to subjects without a voice.”
The far-right, conservative, and center have all criticized her, accusing her of being pro-Hamas and anti-Semitic. Such insults, according to her defenders, are racist. As reported by euronews, From June 6 to June 9, 450 million voters in the 27 member states of the European Union will choose 720 legislators for the ensuing five years. Voting in France will start on June 9. Prior to her arrival, the French Foreign Ministry issued a statement announcing that she would propose a ceasefire that would “lead to a lasting ceasefire with the aim of releasing all hostages and delivering aid to Gaza”.
The French foreign minister also mentioned, in the course of their conversation with Mr. Cohen, how important it is to remember the people who were killed in Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. The Israeli government’s stance that there would be no ceasefire was reiterated by Mr. Cohen. However, he stated that France may be a key player in keeping tensions in the region from rising.
Call to action: Boycott Pairs Olympics 2024
In the history of France the voting time is very important for the construction of its base. But now it seems in big trouble due to its behavior towards Gaza people. Also there is going to be an event held which is about Pairs Olympics 2024. The bad behavior of France citizens is making people boycott this event.
