The former presidential candidate of 2002 must formalize his candidacy during a militant rally for the union of the left, in the district of Croix-Rousse in Lyon, a symbolic choice in a nod to the Canuts, the former workers of this silk district.

His statement comes in a busy political weekend: his rival Anne Hidalgo not far in Villeurbanne, Valérie Pécresse in Greece on the control of migrants, video of Marine Le Pen at the Louvre, Eric Zemmour in Château-Thierry or even Jean-Luc Melenchon in Nantes.

Christiane Taubira should "talk about her vision of France, what the left can bring to France and what it can bring", details Guillaume Lacroix, president of the Radical Left Party (PRG), which supports her.

François Hollande's former Keeper of the Seals, known in particular for the law recognizing slavery as a crime against humanity and his fight for the opening of marriage to homosexual couples, thus puts an end to the expectation that she had aroused in part of the voters on the left on December 17, when she announced that she was "considering" to be a candidate, faced with the "impasse" of a fragmented left.

Less than three months before the presidential election, can she succeed in forming the union that has so far failed, while some socialists still regard her as having contributed by her candidacy to the ousting of Lionel Jospin in the first round of the 2002 presidential?

She had then collected only 2.32% of the votes.

A sticker calling for support for Christiane Taubira's candidacy for the 2022 presidential election on a bag at a meeting of the former Minister of Justice, near Rennes, January 11, 2022 Damien MEYER AFP / Archives

For her, the ideological "convergences" on the left "are sufficient to allow us to govern together for five years".

But her entry into the arena a month ago has not yet led to a breakthrough in voting intentions, despite the popular fervor she enjoys on the ground.

And his candidacy "adds confusion to the division" according to his detractors, while five other candidates are already in the running, without succeeding in winning: the rebellious Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the ecologist Yannick Jadot, the socialist Anne Hidalgo, the communist Fabien Roussel and the cantor of the "Remontada" of France Arnaud Montebourg, close to abandonment.

Christiane Taubira has promised to submit to the citizens' initiative of the popular primary, an "investiture" by left-wing voters - already 120,000 registered to vote - whatever the result.

Even if her supporters pretend to believe that nothing is won, she is the favorite of this consultation, especially since the other left-wing candidates whose names will also be proposed in this ballot have all refused to submit to it.

"Famous Directors"

Even Anne Hidalgo, in great difficulty in the polls, who pleaded for a primary on the left, finally gave up, noting the refusal of her competitors, and in particular Yannick Jadot, to accept this approach.

The ex-rebellious PS Christian Paul, who is campaigning alongside him, is "betting" that in February, "if the potential for enthusiasm translates into voting intentions" in the polls, " several candidates will draw the consequences of the result of the primary".

Already strengthened by the support of the more than 80 committees that bear her name and created long before she launched into the battle, Christiane Taubira sees the arrival "every day of people who come forward to participate", including "known directors “, explains a relative.

She has "no worries" either about sponsorships, assures those around her.

“A certain number of left-wing elected officials, beyond the PRG, support his approach,” it is said.

Christiane Taubira at a meeting near Rennes, January 11, 2022 Damien MEYER AFP / Archives

The Guyanese candidate has already succeeded in convincing the PS president of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, Marie-Guite Dufay.

And the PS mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, announced that he would support the winner of the popular primary.

But "there is no duel", nor "score to settle" with the socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo, assure those close to Ms. Taubira.

Christiane Taubira, guest of 8:00 p.m. on France 2, will later present her program, which will contain "surprises and new ideas", but "without being a La Redoute or Ikéa catalog of 1,000 proposals".

© 2022 AFP