This is the second part of a two-part interview with Sebastian Budgen, senior editor at Verso, about French politics and the state of the French left. In our previous episode, we spoke about developments since the elections two years ago when a left-wing alliance prevented the far right from taking power in Paris. This week, we’re going to be speaking about events so far this year and looking ahead to the presidential election in 2027.

Hear part one of the interview: https://apple.co/48mdnUa

Read the articles from the British press that Daniel and Sebastian discuss in the interview:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/28/political-killing-french-left-quentin-deranque-jean-luc-melenchon

https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/frances-socialists-have-gone-to-the-extreme-6djcpgbzn

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Long Reads is a Jacobin podcast looking in-depth at political topics and thinkers, both contemporary and historical, with the magazine’s writers. Hosted by features editor Daniel Finn. Produced by Conor Gillies with music by Knxwledge.

Long Reads: Decoding the French Left w/ Sebastian Budgen (Part 2)