Victor Chabert, edited by Ugo Pascolo 06:18, February 05, 2022

Duel of meetings this Saturday.

Eric Zemmour in Lille in front of 8,000 people, Marine Le Pen in Reims in front of 3,000 of his activists.

A first real confrontation at a distance between the two competitors of the national right, with multiple challenges.

For the Reconquest candidate, attempt a show of force.

For the RN candidate, show that her motivation is intact and remobilize her troops.

A big meeting for Eric Zemmour at the Grand Palais in Lille, a "presidential convention" for Marine Le Pen at the Parc des Expositions in Reims.

This Saturday will be the scene of the first remote confrontation between the two candidates, in a context of very strong tensions.

The former president of the RN considering in particular in an interview that there are "a few Nazis" at Éric Zemmour.

Seduce the working classes and try the show of force for Eric Zemmour 

In the entourage of Marine Le Pen, we do not want to be locked into the comparison, we insist on the differences in format.

A "presidential convention" is not a simple meeting.

But the opposition will take place.

The candidates speak at two hour intervals: 4:15 p.m. for Eric Zemmour in Lille, 6:15 p.m. for Marine Le Pen in Reims, and they will be televised. 

Eric Zemmour will focus his speech on purchasing power.

In the North of France, fertile land for the National Rally, he will try to seduce the popular classes, the main electoral base of the RN.

The candidate will also attempt the show of force.

Gathering 8,000 people in a room can be the mark of a dynamic.

Moreover, few candidates risk it.

This will be Eric Zemmour's third major meeting, after the 13,000 people in Villepinte last December, and the 4,500 in Cannes a few weeks ago.

>> READ ALSO - 

Cascading defections to the RN: in Marseille, Sophie Grech chooses Eric Zemmour

Show intact motivation on the side of Marine le Pen

For Marine Le Pen, the issue is quite different.

After difficult weeks, defections of some of its executives, and while the polls are still favorable to it, it must show that its motivation is intact.

This agreement could also have the effect of remobilizing its troops, while some could be tempted, within the federations, by the Zemmour adventure.

The two speeches will be televised, after the war of words, it is a war of image which begins.