On Wednesday evening, the first televised debate in the left-wing primary for the French presidential election took place on LCI, a French television channel. The debate featured several candidates, including Olivier Faure, Jérôme Guedj, Raphaël Glucksmann, Ségolène Royal, and Emmanuel Maurel. Maurel, a deputy from Val-d'Oise and former leader of the left wing of the Socialist Party (PS), has returned to the PS after an eight-year absence. His return comes amid a broader effort by the left to unify against the far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen. Emmanuel Maurel was born in Épinay-sur-Seine, a town in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, and studied at the Institut d'Études Politiques (IEP) in Paris, a prestigious institution for political science. He has held various political and academic roles, including serving as a parliamentary assistant and teaching at the higher education level. He was elected mayor of Persan, a town in the Île-de-France region, and later became vice-president of the region, focusing on European and international affairs, as well as employment and vocational training. He also worked as an editorialist and director of publication for left-wing publications. Maurel left the Socialist Party in 2018 to form the Republican and Socialist Left (GRS), a new political group. He cited several factors for his departure, including dissatisfaction with the policies of former President François Hollande, the loss of national identity, and what he described as betrayals within the party during the 2017 election campaign. He served as a European deputy from 2014 to 2024 and was involved in investigating tax evasion. He has been a vocal critic of multinational corporations, arguing that companies like McDonald's, Facebook, and Google pay little in taxes in the countries where they operate. In 2024, he was elected as a deputy for Val-d'Oise under the banner of the New Popular Front (NFP), a left-wing alliance, and now sits in the communist group in the National Assembly. Maurel has stated that his main goals are to "halt the French decline" and "defend workers." He explained that he returned to the PS because he feels it remains the political force he is most aligned with. He announced in early September that he would run in the PS primary organized in partnership with the left-wing magazine Place publique, believing that a credible, genuine left-wing candidate can defeat the National Rally in the second round of the presidential election. He emphasized the importance of learning from past mistakes and offering a clear political vision. Maurel also highlighted the need to bring back the idea of deglobalization, a policy that focuses on reducing reliance on global trade and increasing self-sufficiency in areas such as agriculture, industry, and technology. He argued that France should become self-sufficient in agriculture within ten years. During the debate, Maurel was one of the candidates who refused to rule out cooperation with La France insoumise, a far-left political movement, for the legislative elections. He stressed that if Marine Le Pen were to win the presidency, it would be necessary for the left to unite. The primary will be held in two rounds, on October 9-10 and October 16-17.