Jean-Luc Mélenchon, France's unbowed lefty, presidency covid

Celebrated agitator admits Covid will mean a change of tactics for bid to lead country in 2022

France's veteran leftwing agitator, Jean-Luc Melenchon, is preparing once again to sally forth against his enemies on the right after announcing that he is standing in the 2022 presidential elections, the third time he has mounted a challenge to lead the country.

The leader of France Unbowed (La France Insoumise, or LFI) promised last week he would put his name forward if 150,000 French citizens signed a petition supporting him. Within days, he had comfortably hit his target, and the signatures are still pouring in.