“Our project is to eradicate unemployment and poverty”: Fabien Roussel wants to reconnect with left-wing voters who have gone for the RN

Fabien Roussel wants to reconnect with left-wing voters who have gone for the RN. Midi Libre – Mickael Esdourrubailh

The national secretary of the French Communist Party has chosen Montpellier and the Corum, from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 August, to hold his summer university and his political rentrée. Fabien Roussel delivers his ambition in a context of government deadlock and urges President Macron to choose Lucie Castets as Prime Minister who will be invited by the PCF on Friday evening.

What is the main message you wish to convey during this PCF summer university ?

Beyond the current political situation, I want to raise awareness about the social situation in our country. I want to focus this summer university on work and the issue of remuneration for work. For us, it is central and we want to give our unique vision, specific to the history of the French Communist Party. We will also talk about peace and international issues, which has always fought for independence and respect for peoples, I am thinking of the Palestinian people and territories, I am thinking of Ukraine. We are very worried about the direction events are taking this fall. 

There will therefore be a lot of talk about international issues but also about work in France ?

We want to put the right, the guarantee of having a job and having a fair salary, back at the heart of society. Our project is to eradicate unemployment and poverty. We can no longer accept that in our country, families live on replacement income, with the RSA. This is the sign of a society that is becoming impoverished. 10 million people live below the poverty line today, this is not acceptable in such a rich country.

The relationship to work has changed a lot, especially since Covid. How can we understand it??

We need to start from scratch in many so-called essential professions, such as security, prisons, health, cleaning staff, home help and all the professions of the link… Professions that lack attractiveness because the working conditions are difficult and the salaries too low. We need to work on the meaning we give to our work, to restore a collective ambition. To roll up our sleeves for the ecological challenge, for our elders, for the right to health and education… I would like the start of the school year to be social and around these essential questions.

In the meantime, the country is in a deadlock situation and the President of the Republic does not seem in a hurry to appoint a new Prime Minister ?

Emmanuel Macron does not want to accept that he has lost and does not want a government in a position to question his policy. He acts like a spoiled, capricious child who stamps his feet… and who does not respect the ballot box. He does not want a government that would decide to increase the State budget by taxing dividends, the richest to invest in the ecological transition, the salaries of our teachers, our caregivers, our police officers… We will fight to be able to put in place this government of rupture, we will tell him this Friday with Lucie Castets.

The resigning government has renewed the 2024 budget identically by sending these famous « ceiling letters », what do you think about it ?

It's scandalous! It's part of the president's state of mind who doesn't want his budgetary choices to be questioned. And Mr. Attal, without taking the elections into account, is proposing the same budget. He didn't understand what the French people told him, he's in denial. He wants to maintain a budget of 492 billion euros, we are proposing a budget of 522 billion euros.

Where will you find the money ?

By re-establishing the climate ISF, by taxing the super profits of the CAC 40 companies and by demanding an exceptional participation from big capital, from the richest by increasing their taxes very significantly without touching the taxes of the middle classes.

But for that to happen, Lucie Castets would have to be appointed Prime Minister by Emmanuel Macron ?

He can do it as early as next week. And we will be in a position from September to set up this budget quickly, increasing by 30 billion euros to meet the expectations of the French.

Emmanuel Macron seems to be heading down another path…

If he appoints a Prime Minister who will continue to pursue his policy of making savings in public services by dipping into the pockets of the French, he will create anger and a deep crisis. If, after two lost elections, there is no change, it would be an unprecedented contempt and extremely dangerous for the balance of our democracy.

When you do your summer school, how is the PCF doing after very complicated legislative elections ?

Our summer university will be exceptional with 751 participants, a record. I will meet my friend Michaël Delafosse, whom we will welcome on Saturday evening. This Friday evening I will debate with Lucie Castets. We are all very combative but also very worried. Because the first organized political force is the National Rally which has broken records and this must challenge us all. We must listen to those who voted left and who, today, vote RN. Because the left no longer listens to them, does not take care of work, does not take care of security, because the left takes care more of those who arrive in France, rather than those who live there… We must hear this and provide sincere answers. This is also the project that I am going to launch. I am not talking about those who make racist and anti-Semitic remarks but about those with whom we have common values ​​and with whom we must absolutely reconnect to straighten out the country.

The French Communist Party of Fabien Roussel has chosen Montpellier and the Corum, from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 August (end scheduled around 1 p.m.) for its summer university. It will discuss the party's news and the political situation. As announced by Fabien Roussel, Lucie Castets, invited by Emmanuel Macron this Friday 23 August will be in Montpellier in the evening on the Corum stage.
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