During a second televised debate on Thursday evening, the five candidates in the primary of the social democratic left, and in particular Glucksmann and Faure, opposed each other on a possible alliance with LFI and on the use of the word "genocide" in Gaza. On the other hand, they are unanimous on the "disqualification" of Bardella, after the accusations of anti-Semitism published by Mediapart.

Published on: 02/10/2026 - 01:14Modified on: 02/10/2026 - 08:23

The five candidates in the primary of the social democratic left clashed again, Thursday October 1, around La France insoumise, with an increasingly intense confrontation between Raphaël Glucksmann and Olivier Faure, during a second televised debate.

After a first debate a week ago on LCI, Place publique MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, PS boss Olivier Faure, former 2007 presidential candidate Ségolène Royal, PS deputies Jérôme Guedj and the Republican and Socialist Left (GRS) Emmanuel Maurel met once again, for more than two hours on France 2 and France Inter.

Also read: Glucksmann, Royal, Faure: what you need to know about the primary of the social democratic left

Asked about a possible alliance with the radical left, the boss of the socialists, Olivier Faure, was annoyed by the "elephant in the room" which he believed to be Jean-Luc Mélenchon. “I find it difficult to understand why in every debate between us the winner in absentia should be” the rebellious leader, he lamented, recalling that the risk was firstly that of a victory for the National Rally in 2027, and that there will perhaps be a second round between Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Marine Le Pen.

You put the whole left in trouble", says Jérôme Guedj to Olivier Faure

“You are inhabited by the spirit of defeat,” replied Raphaël Glucksmann, for whom clarity on alliances is essential. The next President of the Republic will not be able to "play an alliance with those who ride on identity fevers", he affirmed while his main rival pleads for a rally of the left in the legislative elections.

“I want to win this election to be elected President of the Republic,” insisted Raphaël Glucksmann. “Me too,” replied Olivier Faure. “I don’t think so,” snapped the MEP. “You put the whole left in trouble,” MP Jérôme Guedj also told Olivier Faure, doing “belly dancing” in front of LFI.

The first secretary of the PS reminded him that he had "taken back the party when it was in the dust, and all the elephants had deserted it", claiming to be "the only one who could bring together all the left forces". “If we want to break with current politics, we do not surround ourselves with people who participated in it,” he said, in a dig at Raphaël Glucksmann, who has former Macronists in his entourage.

The word “genocide” in Gaza at the heart of the debate

A little earlier, they had already fought over the use of the word “genocide” to describe the murderous actions of the Israeli army in Gaza. “I don’t understand why we don’t use the right words,” said Olivier Faure, while Raphaël Glucksmann and Jérôme Guedj refuse to use them. “What you are doing is obscene,” said Raphaël Glucksmann indignantly.

Ségolène Royal, who violently attacked the latter during the first debate on this subject, said this time that she understood "those who do not want to use the word genocide" but stressed that "today in Israel, there are ministers who say they want a genocide" in Gaza.

In economic matters, Raphaël Glucksmann had previously found himself in difficulty over his proposal to reduce the CSG on wages, criticized by the other candidates.

But they all came together to believe that the boss of the RN Jordan Bardella, accused of anti-Semitism by the newspaper Mediapart, was now “disqualified”.

Read alsoMediapart publishes “proof” of anti-Semitic messages attributed to Jordan Bardella

Likewise, they condemned the violence on the sidelines of the high school movements, but also deplored that committed by certain police officers. At the same time, they refused "the trap" of focusing criticism on LFI, accused by the government and the right of fueling excesses.

One of the five will be designated by the activists, on October 9-10 and 16-17, as the social-democratic left's presidential candidate. The first debate on LCI was followed by an average of 709,000 viewers. A third and final will take place on Sunday on BFMTV.

With AFP

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