In Toulouse, Anne Hidalgo boasts of her popular accents


Presidential Election 2022case

Before her meeting in the pink city, this Saturday, the socialist candidate made a stop in the popular Empalot district to insist on the need to revalue work and pensions and to support school

When Emma Rafowicz goes on stage to launch Anne Hidalgo’s meetings, the young elected official always does it the same way. After the classics “thank you for coming so many”, the deputy mayor of the 11th arrondissement invites the room to make noise and wave the flags distributed by the campaign team. Finally, before giving the floor to the speakers, the national secretary of the PS, enthusiastic, still tries, despite the bad polls, to convince the crowd that victory is still possible, resulting in loud applause. This Saturday again, in Toulouse, the spokesperson for the Hidalgo campaign worked on it. With one difference. This time Rafowicz didn’t really talk about ‘victory’. She simply called that on April 10, “the Republican left is as high as possible around Anne Hidalgo”. Simple slip? Or first sign of disenchantment?

In the meantime, despite the voting intentions around 2%, the Socialists came in large numbers to come and listen to their candidate Anne Hidalgo in the pink city. Several local sections like that of Gironde or Gers had chartered buses so as not to miss the event and in passing show that at the PS we still know how to fill rooms. However, in the stands, many have already given up on a presidential victory. “Honestly, we know we won’t win”breathes Michel Fitte 76 years old. “We only say that between us, we don’t sing it from the rooftops”, abounds his comrade Henri Cazes. The two men, socialists “for decades”remain convinced that Anne Hidalgo remains the best candidate with the best program. “The media tear it down”, grind Alain, 72, who adds to the discussion. The three accomplices already have their eyes turned towards the continuation and the “party rebuilding”.

Yet it is indeed the presidential election that Anne Hidalgo comes to talk about. On stage, the mayor of Paris scratches Macron this president “and right and right” or Mélenchon this “dead end” considered as “the least useful vote in the world”. The candidate speaks school, ecology, social justice. She recalls her wish to increase the salaries of teachers, to set up a climate ISF or to maintain the retirement age at 62 years maximum. All while giving local tints to his speech. As a good socialist, the mayor of Paris quotes Jean Jaurès at all costs. She also summons the legendary jazzman Claude Nougaro by taking a few verses from his song “Toulouse”. It gives : “Between the green water of the Canal du Midi and the red brick of Les Minimes where the Spain in me pushes its horn a little, I think of my Spanish Republican grandfather”. Since the start of the campaign, the former labor inspector has not hesitated to highlight her personal journey.

“I know this reality”

The same morning, during a stroll in Empalot, Anne Hidalgo had already worked to rehash her youth in the popular district of Duchère near Lyon. “I know this reality” she hammered as Karim Nouam, a neighborhood elder paid her a visit. The socialist was obviously there to try to provide leads for the neighborhoods but also to attack the outgoing president, Emmanuel Macron, accused “to have abandoned the working-class neighborhoods”. “He has abolished subsidized contracts which made it possible to bring the human, […] he has threw the Borloo report in the garbageshe listed. Emmanuel Macron’s five-year term has been five years of great social brutality. Around her, no one contradicted her. Some activists who, earlier in the morning, had covered part of the walls with posters bearing his likeness applauded.

In Empalot, the stroll is brief. In front of the premises of the Toulouse Métropole Habitat public office and a mini-market, Karim, the regional stage invites the PS candidate to climb on a low wall to address the inhabitants and the curious who are filming the scene. The volunteer technology teacher speaks first: “We would like our children to have the same chances as the other children of the Republiche assures. We need more resources for young people who drop out.” Next door, Anne Hidalgo nods then intervenes: “I know that in these neighborhoods, people are often stigmatized, caricatured when they are creative and trying to get by.”

Questions answers

In a few minutes, Hidalgo then develops the part of its program intended for working-class neighborhoods. “The future of children will go through schoolshe says. It must be supported here more elsewhere.” The mayor of Paris also repeats that she wants to remove “Parcoursup” to allow all young people to have access to higher education. About thirty inhabitants listen to him.

Some take the floor, making the moment a sort of question-and-answer exercise. An old lady, mask on the nose, apostrophe for example the candidate on the difficulties of finding a job that pays enough. “We just have to deal or walk the pavement”, she squeals. Hidalgo then responds by revaluing work, wages and pensions. Then, after a call to vote and a few selfies, the entourage cuts the sequence short so that the socialist can go and prepare for her meeting. On the way to the metro, two residents on bicycles call out to her: “Hey Madame Hidalgo, did you see it? We are cycling !”.

Update at 7:20 p.m. with the second part of the report, during the meeting.



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