France’s left-behind forgotten again

As a crowd celebrated the victory of Bally Bagayoko, the new mayor of the Parisian commune of Saint-Denis, they chanted: “We are all children of Gaza.” The winning candidate from the far-left France Unbowed party considers that Saint-Denis is the capital of the resistance against what he calls imperialism and he considers that its people, like those in Gaza, suffer from injustice. If, in the past, communism used the workers’ condition as a rallying cause, today’s far left is using Gaza as the new rallying symbol.

Despite its real potential linked to its location within the French capital, Saint-Denis is marked by significant social and economic difficulties. It is characterized by a high unemployment rate and structural poverty, with more than half its inhabitants dependent on social benefits. Public services are often under strain and it also witnesses a level of delinquency much higher than the national average. This is fueled by inequality and a parallel economy, even though efforts have been made recently to improve security and the attractiveness of the area, particularly as part of the urban transformations tied to major projects such as the athletes’ village for the Olympic Games of 2024.

If we look at the political history, Saint-Denis has a very strong anchoring on the left, dating back to the late 19th century, when a powerful working class emerged amid the industrialization of the city. This solidified from the 1920s with the establishment of the French Communist Party following the Congress of Tours, making Saint-Denis one of the emblematic strongholds of the “red suburbs” for nearly a century, before a recent restructuring among various left-wing forces. What we are witnessing in Saint-Denis today is a transition from the traditional far left of the communist party to the new far left represented by France Unbowed, after a few years under socialist colors.

So, the conservative parties never have a chance in Saint-Denis, meaning elections there are a fight among the various parties on the left. Yet, just as it was a symbol for the communist party when the area went through deindustrialization, France Unbowed wants it to become its new center of gravity.

In Saint-Denis, the workers of the communist party have been replaced by immigrants, who make up more than 30 percent of the population. This is why the Gaza theme works well, as it resonates with the people. The far left has used this theme in all its messaging and narratives for the past few years. And to those who question what Gaza has to do with municipal elections in France, they swiftly answer that the suffering and injustice of Gaza are symbolic of the difficulties and struggles of the people of Saint-Denis and beyond.

The truth might be that the wounds are self-inflicted and the link to a never-ending conflict, such as the Palestinian-Israeli one, gives the likes of France Unbowed a greater sense of mission and purpose. I cannot help but ask how the people of Saint-Denis can see how the situation has worsened in recent decades without thinking of wanting change. Real change. How can they live with this level of insecurity, buildings taken over by drug traffickers and public services consistently broken without wanting real political change?

Left in the middle are the people of Saint-Denis, whose lives, security and opportunities have been forgotten.

Khaled Abou Zahr

After more than a century of the far left and of suffering, perhaps another political view might help. But today France Unbowed uses Gaza to say no and that the struggle against imperialism needs to continue. So, it is the same as the “no voice rises above the voice of the struggle” mantra used in the Middle East. It is collectivism that destroys individual lives.

On the other hand, conservative parties, knowing that it is useless to try and win an election in Saint-Denis, have used it as an example to highlight the supposed failures of the left, often blaming immigrants. For example, on Tuesday, TV anchor Apolline de Malherbe was forced to apologize to Saint-Denis’ new mayor after misquoting him as saying it was “the city of Black people.” The misquote spread widely online, with commentators using it to reinforce a negative narrative about the area. In reality, Bagayoko had referred to Saint-Denis as “the city of kings and of living people,” highlighting its historical heritage, and the misunderstanding arose in part from background noise during a brief live interview.

In the same way, the association with the new mayor of the “children of Gaza” chant is used by the right to confirm that his supporters have no loyalty to France and that the country now faces a real risk of being torn apart. Left in the middle are the people of Saint-Denis, whose lives, security and opportunities have been forgotten.

Saint-Denis has been broken since deindustrialization and has been left to its own fate, which is only getting worse. A commune whose inhabitants are heavily dependent on social benefits cannot function properly. This only guarantees it stays anchored in its political loyalty and obedience beyond municipal elections. The reference to Gaza frames the situation as one of collective victimhood rather than encouraging responsibility or meaningful action to improve people’s lives, particularly those of the children.

• Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.