The candidate of La France Insoumise for the Élysée, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, assured this Sunday that in the country the conditions for a "revolutionary situation" currently exist following the wave of social protests that have spread throughout France.
"I wouldn't want to say that this is a prer revolutionary situation, because I know it would be ridiculous to announce events that may not happen, but we can say that right now many of the ingredients of what we call a revolutionary situation are present," he argued in a television interview, in which he avoided speculating on concrete scenarios.
Mélenchon has demanded "to know our history" and emphasized that "France will always be a restless people" as it is a "composed people." As a historical example, he recalled that "During the Great Revolution (the French Revolution) half of the French did not speak French."
In contrast, he compared the French case with the German one, pointing out that "Germans have always been Germans because they speak German and consider themselves Germans." "It is not the same with the French. France has been built around the State. We are a political construct and we are more sensitive than any other people to politics," he defended, insisting on the unique character of the French nation.
The leftist leader also addressed the tension with Russia and called for "no wars with the Russians." In his opinion, "The Russians are, by nature, our allies as long as we are invaded. And, when they are not our allies, it is they who invade us," he pointed out, referring to Moscow's historical role in Europe.
In this context, he emphasized that "Obviously if we were attacked, we would respond. That's how things work, but let's not do anything that makes us co-belligerents," urging to avoid steps that could directly involve France in an armed conflict with Russia.