A new alliance boosts the left ahead of France’s parliamentary elections

IN A POLITICALNUPESNATO takeover that upends the past half-century’s political order, the radical French left has swallowed the centre-left. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a 70-year-old firebrand with a gift for oratory and a fondness for Latin American autocrats, launched on May 7th an electoral alliance ahead of next month’s parliamentary elections. Snappily named the “New Popular, Environmental and Social Union”, or , its main purpose is captured in his election poster: “Mélenchon, prime minister”. To the dismay of old-time moderates, the Socialists and Greens (as well as the Communists) have officially signed up.Mr Mélenchon has pulled off this coup thanks to his 22% of the vote, and third-place finish, in the first round of last month’s presidential election. The anti- Eurosceptic, who is against arming Ukraine, vastly outperformed all other left-wing candidates, including those of the Greens (4.6%), Communists (2.3%) and the once-mainstream Socialists (just 1.8%). This has enabled Mr Mélenchon more or less to dictate terms. His party’s candidates will stand in 328 of France’s 577 constituencies; the Socialists in just 70.