For now, she's calling the shots. Head of one of the two left-wing lists (“My city, united and ecological”) during the 2020 municipal elections, Françoise Méry seems to have already taken matters into her own hands in the process which leads towards the 2026 deadline.
The elected socialist opposition is the first interlocutor of the federal authorities of the PS. She is also in charge when it comes to discussions with potential partners of the left. After the experience of the anticipated legislative elections in the summer of 2024, it is under the banner of the NFP (New Popular Front) that these exchanges, which began in September 2024 and continued in this month of November, are taking place.
“We cannot be disunited again in 2026”
“We continue to work. We have not yet moved into the operational aspect, that is to say the organization of a campaign. We get to know each other. Things will really start at the beginning of 2025”describes Françoise Méry.
Calm discussions?
Obviously, the discussions are, for the moment, calm. The communists, who slammed the door in 2020 to present their own list, “are of good will”in the words of the former head of the list, whose legitimacy was nevertheless contested at the time by the PCF. “It’s calmed down with LFI, even if there was some friction, particularly with Mélenchon”she also smiles.
“It’s going very well, we’re all working togethercomments Aurélien Longé-Létang, co-secretary of the local section of the Communist Party. We are in the process of building a program base. Our goal is to leave united! »
“Things go well when you want them to go wellsummarizes Martine Lachaud, LFI referent for Grand Châtellerault. We want to keep the formula that allowed us to have a majority (sic) in the National Assembly. There's no reason why we shouldn't go all the way. »
The grain of sand of La Voix Citoyen
The union, will the environmentalists be in it or not? A small grain of sand came to halt the mechanism with the launch, at the beginning of November, of the La Voix Citoyen collective… “We learned by chance that this collective of citizens was on its way and that the Greens were behind it. We were a little surprised and disappointed”comments Françoise Méry.
« It was a bit of a surprise for everyone”confirms Aurélien Longé-Létang. “We have to be able to work together », underlines Martine Lachaud for her part.
“A certain number of members of environmentalists are in the process of La Voix Citoyen, which is above all a collective of citizens but moreover, we are still part of the NFP coalition and, at the local level, we contribute to exchanges »wants to reassure Yvon Ganivelle, spokesperson for the local group of environmentalists.
Many people already compare this collective to Poitiers Collectif, which served as a launching pad for the environmentalist mayor Léonore Moncond'huy. Françoise Méry warns: “ Châtellerault is not Poitiers. You cannot copy and paste. A minimum of political framework is needed. It is a shame to suggest that left-wing parties could not work with citizens. »
The elected PS has only one mantra in mind: unity. “We cannot be a once again disunited in 2026 because we know how it will happen. This means leaving the door open for Jean-Pierre Abelin or his successor. Or worse, to the RN. » Will the left, which has not been in office since 2008, learn the lessons of the past?
Yves Trousselle: “Yes, I want to play a role”
Who to lead a left-wing list for the municipal elections? “Everything is open”assures Françoise Méry who nevertheless specifies: “I would love to at least be on the team. I learned a lot during 10 years (in office). I do not pose it as a condition of being at the top of the list. It will be someone designated collectively. But it interests me a lot. »
One who does not hide his ambitions is Yves Trousselle. Regional councilor and municipal councilor, who joined the ranks of Raphaël Glucksmann's Place publique, he was a candidate in the last legislative elections for the NFP (21% in 1is tour). “Yes, I want to play a role and get involved in the municipal elections with a target objective like the previous time: the presidency of the agglomeration”he indicates.
“I was able to make myself known as a regional advisor, I joined Place publique two years ago, for which I am the Vienna representativepleads Yves Trousselle. I'm going to take some distance to work with Place publique before coming back with a real program for the future and seeing how we can work together. But, for the moment, I don't see the point in debating a head of the list. »
