The 2027 presidential election will take place in less than a year. This deadline is the focus of political activism and journalistic commentary. Is this a secondary issue for libertarian communists? No! We are not in the habit of pretending that these deadlines don't exist or that their outcome has no effect on our lives. --- Certainly, we do not expect an improvement in living conditions. But we are aware that the outcome could bring real danger and a regression of social rights, particularly if the far right comes to power. We are convinced that only social movements will make it possible, on the one hand, to strengthen the unity of the working class, on the other hand, to halt social regression, and finally, to obtain new rights.
Even a victory for a progressive candidate or one claiming to be so will not bring about social transformation if it is not accompanied by a large-scale social movement, overflowing that winner and imposing itself on him or her.
What kind of democracy?
Furthermore, we have no illusions about the bourgeois representative democracy being offered to us. Certainly, it remains preferable to a dictatorship or any illiberal regime, if only because it guarantees a minimum of individual and collective freedoms.
But it is far removed from the democratic ideal championed by libertarian communism. Democracy is not about giving a blank check for years to someone who is accountable to no one. Democracy is about collective decisions resulting from genuine grassroots debates, allowing both the expression of the diversity of the working classes and serving as a crucible for the emergence of a common position.
This democracy must be able to take hold at all levels, within a federalist framework. Elected officials must engage in regular dialogue with those who mandated them, both to genuinely represent their aspirations and to provide an account of their mandate, which could lead to their recall.
Regardless of any personal considerations regarding the candidates, our interventions as libertarian communists in this period will therefore be guided by these two fundamental requirements: on the one hand, the imperative to organize the struggle for social and climate justice; and on the other hand, to build the social struggle as well as the political struggle in democratic forms.
The harmful game of parties
However, the race for nominations is upon us, and it is the outcome, and which candidate wins, that will be decisive. What interests us, of course, are the candidates claiming to represent the left. With 11 months to go, almost everyone is a candidate or about to become one. The unity that prevented disaster in the last legislative elections is no longer on the agenda. Everyone wants to be in the starting lineup, to elbow their way in, even without any chance, hoping that they or their camp will emerge as the first among the losers.
Because the real objective of most left-wing candidates is to impose their organization's hegemony on the left. It's about defending their party's interests, regardless of the consequences for the working class. Yet, there will only be losers in this strategy.
The candidate who seems to be in the strongest position today is Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Like a true neo-Stalinist, he clings to his role as the party's leader. On the one hand, it must be acknowledged that La France Insoumise (LFI) possesses real momentum. A victory, or at least a very high score, for Mélenchon could trigger a social movement.
On the other hand, there are many criticisms and fears: LFI has significant democratic shortcomings, both in its internal functioning and in its program; doubts about the ability to keep the promises made today are real, due to the lack of structure in the LFI apparatus, with the risk of disappointing or even despairing.
The fundamentals of libertarian communism
It is far too early for the Libertarian Communist Platform or its activists to take a position. However, we will be paying close attention to several points:
The contribution to the unity of the working class, and therefore the ability to bring together the camp of social progress;
The nature of the social dynamic that the candidacy can bring. Even a candidate who is only left-wing in name brings a different social dynamic than an openly right-wing candidate;
The policy of defense, strengthening and expansion of public services, and even socialization of these services;
The policy of worker control over production, therefore the categorical rejection of privatizations, and possibly the choice to socialize certain companies;
The fight against global warming, against the degradation of biodiversity and, from a general point of view, against all pollution generated by industrial society must be placed at the center of our struggle;
Immigrant policy: This issue was largely absent from the left during the municipal elections, with the right to vote for foreigners in local elections not even being discussed. Immigration will be central to the presidential campaign, with a race to the bottom in xenophobia between the center , the right, and the far right. It is therefore all the more essential to defend clear and uncompromising positions on this issue.
All these reflections concern the first round. However, the aftermath must be anticipated. First, it is unfortunately very likely that the question of blocking the election will arise in the second round. Is this strategy still relevant when far-right ideology has so thoroughly infected the rest of the political class, particularly on the issue of immigration?
Next, it is plausible that a dissolution of parliament will follow the presidential election, with the hope that the new president will obtain the majority that no longer exists in the National Assembly. However, securing a majority is far from certain. In a fragmented political landscape, rife with resentment and even hatred on the left and rife with betrayals on the right, this " third round of parliamentary elections " could once again produce an unmanageable situation... within the framework of the current institutions.
https://plateformecl.org/presidentielles-2027-sy-preparer/
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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