🔴 Raphaël Glucksmann wins French left-wing primary with 66% of vote

Raphaël Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament, emerged victorious in France’s center-left primary, earning the backing of the Socialist Party and its allies for the upcoming presidential election. With over 66% of the votes, he secured the position without any opposition in the first round. More than 120,000 voters participated in the primary, which took place over three days, from Friday to Sunday.

The small center-left Place Publique party, led by Glucksmann, gained strength from the primary, acquiring access to Socialist Party funds and broadening their potential base of supporters. Glucksmann emphasized in a statement online that this result demonstrates the ability of a left-leaning party that adheres to its values to unite, govern, and win.

He further stated their objective to "turn the page on Macronism, stop the far right, and change our lives." However, Glucksmann now faces a significant challenge: overcoming the lead of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the head of the France Unbowed party. The latest Ifop survey shows that Mélenchon has 14% to 17% support, compared to Glucksmann's 11%.

Glucksmann campaigned against forming an alliance with Mélenchon, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a center-left stance. The primary saw other candidates, including former minister Ségolène Royal, lawmakers Jérôme Guedj and Emmanuel Maurel, among others. In total, 140,000 people were registered to vote in the primary, with 80,000 paying a €15 fee to participate but not being members of any of the parties involved.

The online voting platform experienced a cyberattack shortly after its opening but remained operational without any disruption to the recorded votes, according to the organizers.