The leader of the French Socialists, Olivier Faure, had made a strong impression at the start of September. With a detailed shadow budget plan, he had positioned himself as a potential prime minister, following the ousting of François Bayrou. It had even helped bolster his credentials ahead of the 2027 presidential election. However, ahead of a key first meeting with the new prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, the Socialist leader stumbled on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On Monday, September 15, he posted messages on X that triggered 48 hours of upheaval among his party, disrupting its recent unity.

On Monday, Faure suggested “flying the Palestinian flag over our town halls” on September 22, the day France is set to officially recognize the State of Palestine at the UN. Under his message, he shared a photo of a news article about Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s “admiration” for pro-Palestinian demonstrations that disrupted the Vuelta cycling race in Spain.

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