‘Radical’ or ‘hero’?: France debates leftist candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon

But some say his policies are radical and unrealistic.

France’s finances and borrowing are under scrutiny as its budget deficit and debt levels are high, raising further doubts on how Melenchon’s ambitious spending plans, particularly on social programmes and public investment, could be implemented.

Some economists warn that his plans could cause investors to sell French government bonds, making it more expensive for France to borrow and potentially causing losses.

“Borrowing money and deciding not to give it back – that’s called theft,” Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in September, regarding such proposals.

LFI says higher taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations – another pillar of Melenchon’s campaign – would finance its spending plans.

His proposals include a minimum 2 percent tax on the wealth of billionaires, restoring France’s wealth tax and increasing taxes on large inheritances.

“Financial capital has benefitted, and it is the one that should pay,” he said in October.

His programme draws on a tradition of left-wing economic interventionism, rooted partly in Keynesian thought, that argues that the state should play an active role in the economy to reduce inequalities generated by the market.

“Because this tradition of state intervention in economic and social affairs has been abandoned by most other political parties, the fact that LFI continues to define itself through such interventionism creates an impression of radicalism,” said political analyst Beligh Nabli, a professor of public law at UPEC-Paris XII. “Yet, this radicalism is only relative – it appears radical when compared to other contemporary political offerings, but from the perspective of the history of social democracy, it is not radical at all.”

But Melenchon’s popularity is nowhere close to that of National Rally candidate Marine Le Pen.

The far-right leader, who challenged President Emmanuel Macron in a second round in the past two elections, would easily win in a run-off against Melenchon, leading 70 percent to 30 percent, according to a Toluna Harris Interactive poll conducted in October.

Analysts say his economic programme is not the only obstacle. His combative political style and reputation for confrontation over compromise hinder his chances of broadening support beyond a core base.

“In France, it is often said that to win a presidential election, one must campaign from the centre. Yet, the defining characteristic of the LFI programme is that it is not centrist – that is precisely what makes it disruptive. He seeks victory, but not a victory from the centre,” Nabli said.

His leadership has also been criticised.

Several former allies have said their break with the party was driven by both Melenchon’s management style and political disagreements.

Former LFI candidate Thomas Guenole has described the movement as a “dictatorship” governed by “an autocrat”, while former lawmaker Raquel Garrido said there was a left that agreed with LFI’s programme but not with the party leader’s “methods”.

Former close ally Clementine Autain has likewise accused LFI of becoming “authoritarian”.

“He is the ‘supreme leader’,” said Reland at the Global Policy Institute. “The party is very organised, but it’s not a democratic party at all.”