Parisians say Socialist candidate offers fresh programmes, but could face tough presidential campaign

Record ID: 166535

  • Title: Parisians say Socialist candidate offers fresh programmes, but could face tough presidential campaign
  • Date: 30th January 2017
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JANUARY 30, 2017) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET, THE SACRE COEUR CATHEDRAL IN BACKGROUND PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF SUBWAY STATION PEOPLE WALKING ON STREET
  • Embargoed: 13th February 2017 09:44
  • Keywords: Primary socialists Benoit Hamon presidential election results reactions
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001619V5TZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Parisians were divided on Monday morning (January 30) over Benoit Hamon's French Socialist presidential ticket win, with many questioning how we can unify the fractured party.
    Hamon, who proposes giving a "universal income" to all citizens at a cost of 350 billion euros and taxing robots, won the primary election against the more moderate and pro-business former Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
    Some voters are not convinced about Hamon's platform.
    "I think his manifesto is totally not feasible, not realistic," said passerby Cedric a day after the primary, calling Hamon's project "utopian".
    Another Parisian, Clement Bonfils gave the ex-minister credit for introducing fresh ideas. He said Hamon's manifesto has a "left identity that is a bit more modern and deeper, in the way that it deals with ideas like ecology, the project for society, and the relationship among religions."
    Hamon's most visible public roles were as Francois Hollande's junior minister for the social economy and later as education minister. He quit that post in protest at what he viewed as the party's shift towards the political right and big business.
    Hamon, who was until earlier in the month one of several outsiders in the primary contest, must take on the task of reinvigorating a party weakened by the deeply unpopular presidency of Hollande.
    "It could be very difficult because there are many disagreements, in substance, on social issues. It could be complicated, but I'm hopeful that eventually, on certain values, in fact I am hoping, that the left will manage to unify," left-leaning voter Jean-Claude Morin said.
    Socialists are given next to no chance of getting beyond the first round of the election in April, an uphill battle that most left supporters are aware of.
    "Whether left will manage to win the presidential election, it's another story," Morin said.
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