Arnaud Montebourg and Benoît Hamon – bertrand GUAY / AFP
    • Published on
    • updated the

They are the two enemy brothers of the primary to the left. Arnaud Montebourg and Benoît Hamon indulged a distance duel Wednesday night. The two men want to be the left of the PS to the four days of the first round. The first gathering of its support to the gymnase Jean-Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement. Just A few kilometres away, Benoît Hamon was doing the same at the institut du Judo in the 15th arrondissement. in 20 Minutes went to two meetings and you book the match of the meetings.

the Atmosphere, the battle of the digits

Montebourg : flags, French, a few balloons orange, and signs, shirts flapping in the gymnase Jean-Jaurès, waiting for the candidate. To bring the temperature up, Arnaud Montebourg can count on drivers ‘ room of talent. The comedian Guy Bedos and Gérard Filoche, recent support, who harangue the crowd and denounces the law Work. Side figure, the entourage of the former minister refers to ” the 2,000 seats reserved, but there are in the world, we are going to make it go further “.

Hamon Has the judo Institute, it swells the muscles. “There has 2,500 seats among the chairs and stands. And it will be up to 4,000 if people remain standing. At Montebourg, they hold up to 2.000 max “, glisse-t-on in the organization. For the ambiance, a DJ is waiting for the champion, before the supports to heat up the room. Among them, the mayor Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis), Sylvine Thomassin raises the enthusiasm in taking the Victor Hugo. A few dozen activists get colored flags and use them frantically when their champion is launching a punchline.

A difference of style

Montebourg : Combative. The applicant joined the scene square in the center of the gymnasium to the cheers of activists. At the microphone, the candidate will attack from the outset, the “wall of powerful “” It is there that he will have to attack, to defeat the fate “. Combative, although hampered by a broken voice, the former minister disagrees with the “renunciation in front of banks” and the ” austerity policies “. “We are left with the arms dangling in the face of the treaties… But we still have the power to say “no”, take charge of our destiny. “

Hamon : Relaxation. The candidate treats his / her entrance, descending the bleachers before climbing back up the ranks in a joyous crowd, and the applause. Benoît Hamon goes up to the podium and began : “Thank you, I don’t know what to tell you… It is super, and I know that it is said not hyper, but it is super impressive you see so many. “And launches the first joke of the evening, referring to the opposition of the Institute of Judo in his coming this Wednesday evening :” I thank the Institute of judo, even though they were embarrassed. Apparently there are judokas on the right, but David Douillet will forgive me ! “” Japy, I talked about 2.15 am, and as it is this evening more numerous, I shall speak longer!!! “

Activists : Why they have chosen their champion (and not the other) ?

Montebourg : Agnes, 55, a supporter and activist SFIO. “I think that he can bring together the left, to the image of his op-ed piece in The World to defend the reindustrialization that I really liked, and which is signed with Pierre Laurent, the national secretary of the PCF), and Eric Coquerel, (close to Mélenchon). For Hamon, it is still too early. There is a lack of concrete proposals and has to work even on its project “. Tom, 21 years old, agrees. “Montebourg speaks to those who are working or want to work. He alone has the stature, a project that is credible, successful, and above all felt. “

Hamon : “We chose Hamon rather than Montebourg as he speaks to the youth, with the proposal of a universal income. And then there is the younger, more modernist. And he knows well the young people since it began in the Movement of young socialists (MJS) “, explains Franck, Florent and Marc, activists vingtenaires of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques come to Paris for the meeting. “Hamon, it is the youth. When I go to one of its meetings to the public, I increase the average age of the room ! “smiles the former minister of Ecology Philippe Martin.

Which of the universal income ?

Montebourg : The proposal of Benoît Hamon had nervously the two camps. Arnaud Montebourg gave a layer to the tribune. “My proposals are not experimental. These are priced proposals, it is a policy built. We are going back to work the French society. Yes ! I am the candidate of work ! The candidate of the pay slip… All want to work, all want to carry by themselves. And all without exception want to obtain the dignity of work. “

Hamon : “no One has ever changed his mind on the universal income and there was no error of communication,” says Pascal Cherki, deputy of Paris after an imbroglio on its amount. “It’s a history of pedagogy, we can’t announce all the details of a measure to be 20 percentage points of GDP. It is for this reason that we announced it in several steps, ” says the elected official.

The anecdote bonus :

Montebourg : please be Aware that the speech of Frangy, in which Arnaud Montebourg, has declared candidate, has a price. It is also sold at the entrance to the meeting, at the auction. “Ask the speech for only 3 euros. “

Hamon : In stand-up, microphone headband to ensure its freedom of movement, Benoît Hamon moves around a lot up to the podium, hands in perpetual motion. And laughs Emmanuel Macron miming his arms wide open. A gesture echoed by relatives this evening, ironisant on an alleged posture providential work of the candidate.

key Words :