On Tuesday, Assange's defense filed a representation to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel to block his extradition to the United States, where the Australian citizen may face up to 175 years in prison on charges related to publication in 2010 of hundreds of thousands of leaked classified military and diplomatic documents.
"Britain, don't extradite #Assange! If the new people's union wins, France will reward Assange. He will be granted French citizenship, and we will welcome him to Paris," Melenchon tweeted.
In early May, Melenchon, who placed third in the recent presidential vote, created New People's Ecologic and Social Union — an alliance of his party with the French Communist Party, the Socialist Party and Europe Ecology – The Greens party. The alliance’s aim is to deprive French President Emmanuel Macron of parliamentary majority in legislative elections, scheduled for June.