Podemos

The British 'no' vote in the referendum on the European Union marks the victory of the extreme right, represented by the repugnant Nigel Farage and his UKIP party. In that sense it is a tragedy. But this 'no' vote also signs the death warrant of a European Union that has turned away from its citizens. Now the whole European project needs to be rebuilt and Mediapart's editor François Bonnet wonders whether that isn't good news...

Last Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Spain saw the newly-founded left-wing Podemos party take third place with just under 21% of votes cast, right behind the PSOE socialist party (22%) and the conservative PP (28.72%). Mediapart editor François Bonnet and political correspondent Stéphane Alliès argue here that this groundbreaking victory for Podemos, a new left-wing alternative that was founded only last year, provides the French Left with major lessons to learn. But, they conclude, old habits die hard.