Philippe Poutou (NPA), “The simpler it is to be me who returns there” – Le Monde

This is finally Philippe Poutou who represent New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) in 2017 . Five years after the first candidate for president of the NPA, the worker at Ford was again nominated on Sunday 20 March at Nanterre, to carry the colors of the party in thirteen months. “There has been almost unanimously for it to be candidate” , says Alain Krivine, a leading figure of the extreme left formation.

Mr. Poutou explains the World that he did not necessarily want to leave at all costs, but that “in a difficult situation, the simplest was that it [him] that returns it. ” “I have a little experience, highlights the 49-year candidate. I can not in uncharted waters, even if we know it will be a complicated campaign. “ This now includes the demonstrations against the bill on work to make the voice of the NPA. “This has given us fishing, he says. You want to settle scores. This presidential, for us it is a platform. “

In 2012, a difficult campaign

In 2012, then unknown, Mr. Poutou had obtained 1.15% of the vote at the end of a difficult campaign. As Nathalie Arthaud, the candidate of Lutte Ouvrière (LO), he had suffered from competition from Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who drew on his candidacy some of the votes of the extreme left. But with the approach of the first round, this worker, who was making his first steps in national politics, had won sympathy and finished before the LO candidate.

A year earlier, he had Poutou the delicate task of succeeding Olivier Besancenot, candidate twice the revolutionary Communist League (LCR), in 2002 and 2007. the latter, who had achieved the best scores of the party with more than 4% of the votes twice, n had not wanted to imagine five years later. And said he still did not want to re-enlist in 2017.

mechanic at the Ford car plant Blanquefort, Gironde, Mr. Poutou was known throughout his fight to the CGT to safeguard jobs within their company. In 2014, he left the narrow leadership of the NPA, criticizing an executive committee of the party “too Parisian” and denouncing “operational problems, lack of democracy, lack of respect between comrades. ” While recognizing that there are still “debates” internally, the candidate welcomes some of “unity” found. “In 2011, it was a struggle, it was cut in two and I was not known, he recalls. There, you feel a little less fortunate. “ three campaign spokesman accompany him in the coming months, including Mr. Besancenot. “This limits the customization” Judge Poutou.

In recent years, the movement of the extreme left has experienced hard times. In 2009, the League became the NPA, knew its peak with more than 9,000 militants and the idea of ​​creating a mass party. But several internal crises were right to that ideal. Since the formation has lost its public funding in the wake of the 2012 parliamentary and the day after the presidential election, has faced from many officials and activists for the Left Front.

As 2012, Mr. Poutou will face competition from another application to the extreme left, that of M ^me Arthaud. He will have already gather 500 elected sponsorships needed to occur. A task that could be made more complex for the “small” candidates by a bill currently being debated in Parliament. According to this text, elected officials should now pass their sponsorship directly to the Constitutional Council, whereas before they could give it to the candidate. “This is an additional barrier, but it is for us to show that it is worth us to be present” says Poutou.