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Voting Preference in PS Leadership Election: Boris Vallaud Announces His Support for Olivier Faure, Yet Clarifies He Doesn't Identify with Any Specific Political Faction

Deputies' PS leader ended up third in initial round, receiving below 18% of votes cast.

PS deputy leader secured third position in first round, garnering under 18% of cast votes.
PS deputy leader secured third position in first round, garnering under 18% of cast votes.

Voting Preference in PS Leadership Election: Boris Vallaud Announces His Support for Olivier Faure, Yet Clarifies He Doesn't Identify with Any Specific Political Faction

The internal election within the Socialist Party is causing ripples, set for June 5th. Boris Vallaud, the head of the PS deputies, reveals his endorsement for Olivier Faure in an exclusive interview with Le Monde. Vallaud, who garnered 17.41% in the first round, clarifies his choice isn't a blank check or magic wand, but a result of firm commitments from Faure on certain issues.

Although both Faure and Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, who received 42.21% and 40.8% respectively, attempted to rally Vallaud's votes, the latter chose to maintain the freedom of party militants, preventing the imposition of a voting instruction. The readiness of Vallaud's Unir is evident, as they have already given the troops free voting rights.

In the same interview, Vallaud proclaims himself as the guarantor of the party's plurality, guaranteeing that the PS will not disappear without key figures like Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, Carole Delga, and Johanna Rolland. Vallaud, advocating for reconciliation, aims to preserve party unity, which has been fractured since the previous congress in Marseille in 2023.

The Socialist Party needs to abandon its self-talk, according to Vallaud, and start addressing the French people. He believes that the party must first focus on the working and middle classes. Vallaud's stance can be perceived as an effort to bridge the divide between the party's traditional and modern factions.

Although not explicitly mentioned, understanding the differences between Faure, Vallaud, and Mayer-Rossignol lies in their distinct policy orientations, alliance preferences, and positions on party identity. Faure, the frontrunner for the radical left, advocates for strong alliances with partners like LFI and the Greens. Vallaud, the pragmatist, supports selective cooperation while maintaining the party's distinctiveness. Mayer-Rossignol, the traditionalist, opposes close alliances with the radical left and aims to reclaim the party's moderate roots.

In essence, the June 5th election will serve as a decisive moment for the Socialist Party, with policy differences centering around alliances with the radical left, party identity, and electoral strategy. The core divisions remain clear: radical left, pragmatic, and traditionalist.

  1. The Socialist Party's internal election on June 5th is significant as the policy differences among the candidates, including Olivier Faure, Boris Vallaud, and Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, revolve around alliances with the radical left, party identity, and electoral strategy, with Faure representing the radical left, Vallaud a pragmatist, and Mayer-Rossignol a traditionalist.
  2. Boris Vallaud, in his interview with Le Monde, emphasized the importance of the Socialist Party addressing general news and policy-and-legislation matters that concern the working and middle classes, potentially bridging the divide between traditional and modern factions within the party, whilst also ensuring social policy considerations are addressed.

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