The selected lists were published in the Official Journal on Saturday. The official campaign will be launched on May 13.
Each list is composed of 79 names, which is the number of seats allocated to France in the new European Parliament. Another requirement is strict gender alternation to ensure parity.
Some lists claim, directly or indirectly, to be linked to the Yellow Vests movement.
It could be highlighted that after strongly criticizing representative democracy and the political elites that compose it, there is nonetheless an enthusiasm among the “anti-system protesters” to be part of it.
A contradiction? A search for a new profession?
The election results will determine if the self-proclaimed “voices of the people” will be acclaimed by the voters or relegated to continue wearing out their shoes in weekly folkloric marches, with some violent variations.
It is notable that none of the Yellow Vests who gained even minimal notoriety—such as Patrick Cribouw, who aspired to lead a list—have a leading role or are present.
The Representative Democracy list
At the top of the list is Hadama Traoré (spelled Hamada Traoré in the Official Journal), followed by Sonia Airouche and Cosimo Lisi. Representative Democracy is the political branch of the citizen movement called “The Revolution is Underway,” born in Aulnay-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis). On Facebook, the movement expresses its intention to “create a bridge between the suburbs and the Yellow Vests.”
The Together Patriots and Yellow Vests list
Its full name is “Together Patriots and Yellow Vests: For France, let’s leave the European Union!” It is led by Florian Philippot, former vice president of the National Front, who left Marine Le Pen’s party to found his own movement, The Patriots. He enlisted a Yellow Vest from Indre, Jean-François Barnaba (number 9), who says he gave up forming his own list for financial reasons. The actor Franck de Lapersonne is also included (7th position).
The Movement for Citizen Initiative list
The list is led by Gilles Helgen, a business leader in Rennes, who was “first randomly selected” and “agreed to be at the top of the list,” according to the Movement for Citizen Initiative. He is followed by Clara Egger, an assistant professor of political science. The list originates from the Yellow Vests movement, embodies several of its demands, but does not mention the fluorescent vests on its website. The list notably advocates for the citizen-initiated referendum (RIC).
The Citizen Evolution list
Christophe Chalençon, one of the public figures of the Yellow Vests movement, submitted his Citizen Evolution list to the Ministry of the Interior and published its composition on his Facebook account. He is in the first position. This list, he assured, is “not a ‘Yellow Vests’ list” but is entirely composed of people “from civil society,” a “range of citizens from left to right.”
The Yellow Alliance list
The Yellow Alliance list is led by the singer Francis Lalanne. Jérémy Clément, leader of the RIC, will be number three on the list, behind Sophia Albert-Salmeron, a lawyer in Sorgues (Vaucluse) who has defended several Yellow Vests, reports Le Monde.
