Saint-Ouen, France – The mayor of Saint-Ouen, a prominent figure in France’s Socialist Party, is calling for the resignation of the party’s leader following disappointing results in recent municipal elections. The move underscores growing tensions within the French left as it struggles to find a winning strategy.
Karim Bouamrane, the mayor of Saint-Ouen, publicly demanded the resignation of Parti Socialiste (PS) First Secretary Olivier Faure on Tuesday, March 24, during an appearance on BFMTV. Bouamrane characterized Faure’s leadership as a “total failure.”
“Olivier Faure must resign, it’s a total failure,” Bouamrane stated on the broadcast, less than 48 hours after the municipal election results were announced. He reiterated his call for Faure’s departure several minutes later.
Bouamrane specifically criticized Faure’s approach to La France Insoumise (LFI), a left-wing political party. He argued that the PS leader’s strategy of shifting between opposing and aligning with LFI was detrimental to the party’s performance. “It’s fine to say ‘I am against LFI’ beforehand, and then to collude with LFI during election periods and in-between rounds,” he said.
The mayor pointed to the election results in Saint-Ouen, where he was re-elected with 56.44% of the vote, defeating the LFI candidate (28.2%) and a former UDI mayor (15.35%), as evidence of his point. He also cited disappointments in cities where PS-LFI alliances failed, such as Toulouse.
Bouamrane advocated for a clearer stance regarding LFI, stating, “We need clear lines with respect to LFI, not stammering.” He called for rallying around “republican values.”
The call for Faure’s resignation comes as Prime Minister Gabriel Attal indicated a willingness to explore the possibility of a broader coalition ahead of upcoming presidential elections, according to reports from Le Monde.
