Quick Facts
Biography
Benoît Hamon (French: [bə.nwa a.mɔ̃]; born 26 June 1967) is a French politician and a member of the Socialist Party (PS) and Party of European Socialists (PES). He became the PS candidate for the 2017 French presidential election after defeating Manuel Valls in the second round of the party primary on 29 January 2017.
Hamon was Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the East of France from 2004 to 2009. He was also the leader of the left-wing of the PS during the 2008 Reims Congress and its candidate for the First Secretaryship. In May 2012, he was appointed as Junior Minister for the Social Economy at the Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and External Trade by President François Hollande, serving in that post for two years. He was Minister of National Education from April 2014 until August 2014, resigning as a result of what he considered President Hollande's abandonment of a socialist agenda.
Political career
Hamon was Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the East of France from 2004 to 2009, attached to the PES Group.
After the candidacy for the First Secretary of the PS became a contest between Ségolène Royal and Martine Aubry, Hamon urged his supporters to vote for Aubry, who secured a narrow, contested majority.
On 16 May 2012, Hamon was appointed as Junior Minister for the Social Economy at the French Ministry of the Economy, Finance, and External Trade by President François Hollande. Hamon was Minister of National Education from 2 April 2014 until 25 August 2014, resigning as a result of President Hollande's abandonment of a socialist agenda. He was national secretary for Europe and spokesperson for the Socialist Party.
2017 Socialist Presidential candidate
Hamon announced his intention to seek the French presidency in August 2016. Critical of the social-liberal politics conducted by Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Hamon represented the left-wing and green side of the Socialist Party during this primary. Hamon is considered an admirer of United States Senator Bernie Sanders.
He wants to rethink society and its relation to work by giving a basic income to all French citizens, believing that the availability of work will decrease due to automation. He supports a 35 hour workweek, and less if a worker chooses in exchange for state compensation, and supports the legalisation of cannabis and euthanasia. He also argues for huge investments in renewable energy, aiming for renewable sources to provide 50% of French energy by 2025, and wants to protect the "common goods" (water, air, biodiversity) in the Constitution. Hamon is also very critical of the neoliberal "myth of infinite economic growth", which he blames for "destroying the planet" and argues is a "quasi-religion" among politicians. "There is an urgency to change now our way to produce and consume. [...] We can negotiate with bankers, but we can't negotiate with the planet."
While Hamon's project is seen as credible and coherent about the future evolution of society by some commentators, it is seen by others as utopian.
Polling in January 2017 showed that his support had tripled and put him into serious contention.
On 22 January 2017, Hamon came top in the first round of the primary, ahead of Valls. Hamon secured the support of Arnaud Montebourg, who placed third, soon thereafter. In the runoff on 29 January, he won the Socialist Party nomination.