La France Insoumise expects a record crowd of more than 8,000 activists at its summer university in Châteauneuf-sur-Isère ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The four-day gathering of political conferences, held in a rural setting around a lake in the Drôme department of southeastern France, represents the largest summer gathering ever organized by the radical left party founded by Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
Organisers were forced to find additional parking spaces on Friday morning after attendees encountered 90-minute traffic jams on the nearby departmental road. Left-wing members of parliament Aurélien Le Coq and Bastien Lachaud stepped in to direct traffic outside the venue.
Supporters arriving at the site expressed renewed confidence eight months before the presidential vote. Fabrice, a 59-year-old massager from Chambéry who wore a Mélenchon 27 football jersey and carried a bag decorated with Palestinian and party pins, said that while activists had hope in 2017 and 2022, a distinctly different momentum is now driving belief in victory.
Grassroots momentum and voter polls
François, a 26-year-old teacher from Villeneuve-d'Ascq in the Nord department, said the current enthusiasm stems from Jean-Luc Mélenchon's initial campaign rally in Saint-Denis, which organizers said drew 26,000 people. He added that polling numbers reflect this energy, placing Mélenchon comfortably ahead of other left-wing candidates with approximately 15 percent of voting intentions.
Addressing concerns over Mélenchon's standing as a polarizing figure nationwide, François said the public perception of La France Insoumise as a demonized movement will change once the full political program is released.
Céline, a 43-year-old speech therapist from Cherbourg, noted that political figures, researchers, and artists are rallying behind Mélenchon's candidacy.
Runoff predictions and republican barrier
Party activists gathered under the weekend slogan "We are going to win" broadly expect Mélenchon to reach the second-round runoff against the far-right Rassemblement National party, a scenario Mélenchon has predicted for 15 years. Supporters believe he would benefit from a traditional republican barrier where voters unite against the far right, even though current opinion polls indicate Marine Le Pen would defeat him in a direct matchup.
Céline said that while some voters fear both major political camps, ongoing persuasion will convince them that the far right poses too great a danger, leading them to back a humanist party.
Jean-Pierre, a 78-year-old retiree from Pas-de-Calais wearing a Mélenchon 27 shirt and a red cap featuring the party's Phi symbol, said the Rassemblement National has reached its ceiling and that Marine Le Pen's legal difficulties represent a major obstacle for her party.
François added that claims by centrist macronist politicians that they would refuse to choose between Mélenchon and Le Pen in a runoff are a political posture, predicting that centrist voters will ultimately back Mélenchon even if their leaders do not.
Historical comparisons and party record
Manuel Bompard, the coordinator of La France Insoumise, said his research indicated the Châteauneuf-sur-Isère event is the largest summer university ever staged by any political party in France. He noted that the previous record was set by the Socialist Party in La Rochelle in 2011, pointing out with a smile that the Socialists went on to win the French presidency the following year.
