Zemmour: the rallies will wait
Audio 03:02
Zemmour, 63, who declared his candidacy on Tuesday, is the most fiercely anti-Islam and anti-migrant of French President Emmanuel Macron's challengers Thomas COEX POOL / AFP / File
By: Julien Chavanne Follow |
Julien Chavanne Follow
2 min
Eric Zemmour is holding his first presidential candidate meeting this Sunday, December 5, near Paris.
Show of strength after a half-hearted declaration of candidacy.
The new candidate wanted to take advantage of this meeting to highlight his support, but the first row will be less flashy than expected.
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Éric Zemmour wanted to show the muscles, display his war prizes.
But the Zemmour share price is going down.
Unsuccessful trips, polls that reach a ceiling, doubt wins those close to him.
Enough to make those who Eric Zemmour have approached in recent months hesitate.
The candidate has started a real belly dance to seduce several executives of the National Rally and Republicans.
Not just any.
The disappointed Marine Le Pen, those who were removed from the leadership of the party after the failure of 2017.
When I asked one of these figures of the RN if he could rally Eric Zemmour, I was entitled to a long sigh ...
"
I will support the one who can save the nationalist camp
", evacuates this elected .
Bet on the winner
Most are waiting to know who will be best placed in the polls between Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour.
It's still too early to get out of the woods, it's too risky now.
"
We'll talk about it again at the end of January"
, slipped me one of these RN dredged by Eric Zemmour.
And the national elected representatives are not the only ones thinking about changing sides.
"
Many local executives could move if the curves intersect, there will be rallies if Marine Le Pen collapses,"
says an RN executive.
Prepare after Marine Le Pen
What is playing behind these contacts between Eric Zemmour and members of the RN is not only the next presidential election, but the succession of Marine Le Pen.
Who to look like the nationalist camp in the event of a third defeat of Marine Le Pen?
Many are thinking about it now.
And not just the entourage of Eric Zemmour.
Marion Maréchal for example, the niece of Marine Le Pen, plays an essential role behind the scenes.
"Everyone has been talking about the aftermath and for a long time,"
assures an RN executive who often talks with Eric Zemmour on the phone.
Marine Le Pen keeps the advantage
For now, Marine Le Pen has gained the upper hand over Eric Zemmour in the polls. This is why most dredgers remain discreet, without showing too much alongside one or the other. Except one ! Stéphane Ravier appeared with Eric Zemmour during his visit to Marseille. Senator RN des Bouches-du-Rhône wants to influence the rapprochement of the two candidates. But he will not be in Eric Zemmour's meeting room this Sunday. The new candidate's hunting table still has no heavyweights from the right or the far right.
"Without dynamic, no rallying ... No rallying without dynamic"
, sums up an elected official. The story of the egg and the hen.
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Presidential France 2022