{
  "id": 10585763,
  "title": "Mélenchon’s plan to beat the far right: Grab the first-time voters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/melenchons-plan-to-beat-the-far-right-grab-the-first-time-voters",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-29T02:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/melenchons-plan-to-beat-the-far-right-grab-the-first-time-voters/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "French far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon is relying on the enthusiasm of first-time voters to challenge far-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen in the 2027 election. After employing similar tactics in regional elections, Mélenchon is positioning himself as the antithesis to Le Pen's anti-immigration stance, advocating for a vision of \"a new France\" that celebrates diversity fueled by immigration. This stance is unique in France, where most politicians promote colorblindness, and in much of Europe, where leaders from all political parties have attempted to portray themselves as tough on migration to curb the surge of nationalist forces like Le Pen's National Rally. Despite accusations of playing identity politics and courting minority voters, particularly Muslims, Mélenchon's approach seems to be gaining traction. A recent Cluster17 survey for POLITICO found Mélenchon tied for second place with center-right candidate Edouard Philippe at 19%, while a Harris Interactive poll revealed him at 18% — compared to Philippe's 16%. Young voters, working-class citizens, and those with immigrant backgrounds are the most likely to back Mélenchon in the upcoming election, according to his party France Unbowed. The party points to Saint-Denis, a Paris suburb known for its working-class population and significant immigrant community, as a case study where Mélenchon secured nearly 50% of the vote in the first round of the 2022 presidential election, surpassing the national average turnout of 73.7%. However, Mélenchon remains a polarizing figure, with 73% of respondents polled by Cluster17 indicating they would never vote for him. Only 62% felt the same way about Le Pen. While Mélenchon's strategy appears to be working, polling suggests he would likely lose by a wide margin against Le Pen in a second round.",
  "summary": "The leftist veteran believes that young voters as well as those from working-class suburbs and with immigrants roots can propel him to the runoff, where he'd likely face off against Marine Le Pen.",
  "key_points": [
    "Jean-Luc Mélenchon targets first-time voters to challenge Marine Le Pen in 2027 election.",
    "Mélenchon promotes diversity and immigration as a strength, unlike Le Pen's anti-immigration stance.",
    "Recent polls show Mélenchon tied for second with 19% support, ahead of Le Pen's 16%."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}