Mélenchon’s plan to beat the far right: Grab the first-time voters – POLITICO

PARIS — French far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon is betting his blunt style and socially radical agenda will convince first-time voters to back him en masse and propel him into a runoff duel against far-right front-runner Marine Le Pen in 2027.

After embracing similar tactics in regional elections earlier this year, Mélenchon has increasingly set himself up on the campaign trail as a foil to the anti-immigration Le Pen by embracing a vision of what he calls “a new France” that celebrates diversity rooted in immigration. 

The position makes him an outlier domestically — most French politicians believe the Republic should be colorblind — and in much of Europe, where leaders across the political spectrum have tried to project toughness on migration to contain the rise of nationalist forces like Le Pen’s National Rally. Mélenchon’s opponents also accuse him of playing identity politics and openly courting minority voters, Muslims in particular.