French left unites to call for major system overhaul after Covid-19

A group of over 150 French politicians and thinkers have written an open letter calling for a more just and equitable society after the Covid-19 pandemic. They want an economy that puts people and the environment first.

Penned by over 150 left-leaning politicians and intellectuals, including Green MEP Yannick Jadot and Socialist party leader Olivier Faure, the op-ed, entitled "After the crisis, let us build the future" is an invitation to build a socially just and ecologically sound society after Covid-19.

"France is facing an earthquake of unprecedented scale," begins the letter published on Thursday in several news outlets.

With the coronavirus disrupting society's very foundations, the only way to rebuild is to "downscale productivity and transition towards a more sustainable and inclusive society," it states.

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown into stark relief the longstanding weaknesses of capitalism, where those in essential jobs are often the least paid and lack protection, while healthcare systems have been crippled by years of austerity.

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"We're advocating for a society that knows how to recognize the workers that have kept it afloat during this crisis and will recognize them when the crisis ends," the signatories insist.

For that to happen, they want a pay increase for all "night workers, civil servants who work day and night, and dedicated caregivers and teachers."

They also want a safety net for people who have no jobs, including the homeless as well as a "decent" pension.

Who pays?

To mobilise the necessary cash, the signatories call on the government to reinstate a tax on the rich, ask wealthier members of society to contribute to a solidarity fund and for the European Union to step in.

The pandemic has not just hit the poor but may businesses.

As companies, from airlines to retail, come asking for bailouts and other types of assistance, left leaders want the government to condition this help on structural reform.

These companies must have a green strategy in line with the Paris climate deal, focused on lowering carbon emissions while at the same time investing in workers, they argue.

"France's ecological transition is the major challenge facing our Republic in the 21st century."

The group of politicians and thinkers want climate change and an overhaul of the capitalist system to form part of a new socio-ecological pact that will unite all parties of the Left.

Historic moment

"For this important moment in our history, we are proposing a major event, a global agreement for a shared approach, bringing together citizens, politicians, NGOs and anyone who wants change," explains Christian Paul, one of the co-founders of the movement.

So far, only firebrand leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the France Unbowed party has resisted calls to join the alliance, considering it a mishmash of everything French people have seen before.

But for Paul, the coronavirus pandemic is an opportunity to move forward and prioritise the public good over self-interest.