Tensions Escalate Between LFI and PS Ahead of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges Election

The failure to unite left-wing factions highlights growing divisions as the second round approaches.

Negotiations between La France Insoumise (LFI) and the Socialist Party (PS) to merge their lists for the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges municipal election collapsed after two days of talks.
The Socialist Party, along with communists and ecologists, withdrew their joint list instead of aligning with LFI, citing irreconcilable differences.
Key controversies include accusations of clientelism and the inclusion of a pro-Hamas candidate on LFI's list, which has drawn criticism from PS leadership and others.
The PS has refrained from issuing a clear voting directive for the second round, opting instead for vague calls to block the right without explicitly endorsing LFI.
The election is seen as a microcosm of broader strategic and ideological rifts within the French left, with implications for future national contests.