Ex-adversary of Royal Ségolène at the time of the primary education of nomination socialist candidate to presidential, Laurent Fabius returns for Libération on the causes of the defeat. And asserts that the PS is anchored “without complex on the left”.

The PS meets Saturday for a national council which is announced less animated than envisaged. Are the payments of account put under bell?

I hope well that yes. In spite of the militant heat of the countryside, the left underwent last Sunday a cruel defeat. The legislative ones are in one month. It would be absurd to make more difficult the situation by this kind of attitudes. This one requires on the contrary our unit.

But isn't this yet to move back the time of the explanations necessary, even a manner of avoiding them?

The moment will come where it will be necessary to clarify completely why we missed this historical chance. The question for which it will be necessary to answer will not be besides only why a defeat, but it is the central interrogation why the largely awaited victory a few months ago, and for which we had powerful assets, was transformed finally into failure? But today, we concentrate on the legislative ones.

How to make countryside for the legislative ones, with, like consequence of a possible victory of the Socialists, a new cohabitation?

In any election, one does not leave beaten. We make countryside to obtain the highest possible score and we are ready to take all our responsabilities in the event of success. The PS is a party of government, not renouncement. For that, let us post our priorities clearly: the economic one, the social one, the ecological one, European. Let us hammer the central argument: one needs a rampart of left for the right-hand side road roller, one needs a countervailing power for the capacity élyséen. Because attention: the first projections in seats which were published underestimate the possible effect of blast of presidential on the legislative ones. The risk, it is thus not only that of “modest” a victory UMP, it is that of a true road roller, bringing in the country a massive and dangerous imbalance on the level democratic, social, economic, educational, cultural. If the victory must be sought, in any event, a rebalancing is essential. The election of Nicolas Sarkozy is acquired, it should not mean blank check.

With are six days of retreat, which, according to you, the causes of the defeat of Ségolène Royal? Was its opening in the center an error?

The causes are multiple. The question of political legibility in fact certainly part.

Why the PS didn't undertake since 2002 the work necessary of ideological recasting, as Sarkozy made with the line?

There were without any doubt at the same time efforts and lacks. We will have to think of all that collectively. From there to propose like mobilizing watchword for the legislative ones “we had any forgery, vote for us”, I do not recommend it. And it is not either what I believe.

Which role has to play Ségolène Royal in the months which come?

The role of important a socialist person in charge.

DSK estimates that the future of the left passes by a PS which is assumed finally frankly social democrat. What do you think about it?

I think that, vis-a-vis the new stakes financial universalization, the emergence of China and India, the risk of economic unhooking of France, the increased precarisation of the company, confusion attends between solidarity and assistantship, the environmental dangers, one needs a modernized PS and not droitized. Capitalism changed, it is more financial, transverse and transnational. Let us oppose to him an offensive socialism, a décomplexée left. Without complex with being anchored on the left, without complex to look at the world such as it is to improve it.

Doesn't the weakness of the left of the left at the time of this presidential invalidate your analysis?

Not. The score of the nonsocialist left was indeed weak with the first turn, but this one “was electorally trapped”, in particular by its own divisions and the effect of the useful vote reinforced by the memory of April 21, 2002. For as much, which this left carries like requirement and revolt did not disappear. I continue to wish the gathering of the left and the Greens, a gathering open on the others.

Do you claim the organization of an anticipated congress and a change of first secretary?

Not, we must avoid the calendars dictated by such or such personal suitability.

According to you, the Maltese holidays of the new president of the Republic draw they to it style of the five-year period?

The new president will have to be judged with the acts and the results.