Who is Amine Kessaci, the environmentalist candidate for the northern districts of Marseille, the surprise of this first round?

Aged 20, Amine Kessaci, founder of the association “Conscience” is the environmentalist candidate of the New Popular Front in the 3rd constituency of Bouches-du-Rhône. He arrived at the end of this first round in second position behind the RN candidate, only 7 points apart. He is one of the hopes of the New Popular Front for the second round of legislative elections in Marseille.

The 20-year-old from Marseille received the prize for the most committed young person in France on January 30, 2023, awarded by the NGO Positive Planet. This prize recognizes his work with the Conscience association, which helps residents of northern neighborhoods. Since the European campaign last February, Amine Kessaci had been involved with Marie Toussaint and the Europe Écologie-Les Verts party. For these early legislative elections, he is representing the New Popular Front, for environmentalists, in the 3rd constituency of Bouches-du-Rhône in Marseille (13th, 14th and part of the 12th arrondissement).

In the 3rd constituency of Bouches-du-Rhône in Marseille, theThe RN candidate Gisèle Lelouis obtained 42.75% of the votes ahead of Amine Kessaci the candidate (NFP) who obtained 35.68% of the votes. This constituency includes the 13th and part of the 12th and 14th arrondissements of Marseille. Coming in third place, the candidate Ensemble, from the presidential majority, Céline Aycard-Dieste who obtained only 11.61% of the votes, is not qualified for the second round. She did not give any voting instructions. In the event of a transfer of votes, Amine Kessaci would beat the RN candidate.

“I am happy with the participation rate of young people in this constituency. We see that people have also expressed their anger towards the presidential majority and political parties in general,” explains Amine Kessaci.

I understand and know the concerns of the inhabitants of these neighborhoods, the fear of insecurity, purchasing power, the desire to finally be listened to.

Amine Kessaci, NFP candidate, from the 3rd constituency of Bouches-du-Rhône

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“We must create a real republican barrier, everywhere, everywhere. In all the constituencies. We must vote for the presidential majority, for NFP, for the right, but never for the national rally, I appeal to the responsibility of the inhabitants, the citizens, the voters of my constituency”, launches the environmentalist candidate.

Despite his young age, the candidate is not unknown in this constituency and these neighborhoods. He had already crisscrossed these streets for the Europeans.

>> “There is no question of Europe being built without us”, Amine Kessaci, 20, candidate for the northern districts of Marseille

“I understand and I know the concerns of the residents of these neighborhoods, the fear of insecurity, purchasing power, the desire to finally be listened to. And that’s what I want to tell them, I will be the MP for all residents, I will bring forward all the issues that are at the heart of their concerns. Unlike Gisèle Lelouis. I will present amendments, bills, reports, because we don’t see what this MP did during her term, no trace of her interventions and her work.”

From this Monday, July 1, the NFP candidate is on the ground.

“We are continuing the fight from the beginning with a local campaign, with traders and residents, I will continue, and seek out the centrist voices, on the right and the voices of real republicans who do not want a far-right government “, says Amine Kessaci.

With two outgoing MPs already re-elected in Marseille, Manuel Bompard, the national coordinator of LFI, and Sébastien Delogu, the rebellious MP who distinguished himself by brandishing a Palestinian flag in the National Assembly, the New Popular Front, qualified in the five other constituencies of the city, could sign a grand slam on July 7. With the young Amine Kessaci, 20 years old, environmentalist candidate in the popular northern districts of the city, it is even the only seat won by the RN in Marseille in 2022, by Gisèle Lelouis, which could fall.

“I am not a political strategist, I just want to represent the inhabitants of my constituency and I am carrying this fight for them. Now, the voters have to trust me and I am happy to represent them in the campaign, but I want also represent them in the Assembly It is time for things to move forward for us”, argues Amine Kessaci.

In 2022, Gisèle LeLouis (RN) had raided

Amine Kessaci is a 20-year-old from Marseille, studying for his second year of law. He grew up in the Frais-Vallon district, in the 13th arrondissement of Marseille. In June 2020, at the age of 17, he decided to create his association called Conscience. Its aim is to enable young people to get involved in the life of their city or neighborhood, by fighting against all forms of discrimination.

In December 2020, the death of Amine Kessaci’s brother in a settling of scores pushed the young man to strengthen his action within neighborhoods and youth.

“Before his death, we already felt that things were happening in the neighborhood and that action was needed. My brother is unfortunately not the first, nor the last, to die from a settling of scores. This has strengthened our determination to proudly carry on this fight. The goal is to change things in the neighborhoods,” explained Amine Kessaci.

Today, his association is present in several cities in France, with 35 committees and more than 3,000 members. This success seems to be just the beginning for this kid from the northern districts who had challenged Emmanuel Macron in September 2021. “We have to show that coming from the suburbs means absolutely nothing. Everything is possible. We will be proud of ourselves when we have succeeded in changing things. In ensuring that fewer young people fall into drugs, for example.”

In September 2023, Amine Kessaci launched legal action against the State to point out the “state responsibility” in the wave of homicides against a backdrop of drug trafficking in Marseille.