Politics, the choice of the week
On the right, the specter of implosion
Audio 02:45
From left to right: deputy Eric Ciotti, president of the LR group in the Senate Bruno Retailleau and president of Hauts-de-France Xavier Bertrand, during the presentation of the program of candidate Valérie Pécresse.
Paris, March 14, 2022. AFP - THOMAS COEX
By: Lucile Gimberg Follow
2 mins
Now 4th or 5th in the polls, the LR candidate Valérie Pécresse sees the prospect of qualifying for the second round receding.
And that undermines the morale of elected officials on the right.
To the point that many parliamentarians are already thinking about the aftermath: the legislative elections in June, but also the future of their party.
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Feeling of waste, frustration, misunderstanding.
The LR parliamentarians look gray and no longer hide it.
"
From the Zenith, everything is looked at in terms of form and not substance, it revolts me
," laments a deputy.
Problem of incarnation, lack of sincerity on the political line, Valérie Pécresse also pays for her too great similarity with Emmanuel Macron, according to them.
Finally, the war in Ukraine occupies all the space and the two favorites, Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, refuse to debate.
Result: many parliamentarians think of the June legislative elections, even eyeing the majority
The first to have said it loud and clear was the Sarkozyist Guillaume Larrivé who, in
Le Point
, called on the right to build "
a new majority
" with Emmanuel Macron.
If re-elected, the current president will likely need to widen his side in parliament.
According to a minister quoted by the weekly, they would be between 30 and 60 deputies, of the 100 of the LR group in the assembly, ready to take the plunge.
And they could link up via the party of former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, whom Macron took to the right in 2017. “
Heads of LR federations are calling Horizons to say that they are coming, it is accelerating, we will see if it materializes
, ”says a leader of the presidential majority.
"
Yes, some wiggle the handle
," concedes a mayor in Valérie Pécresse's team.
The city councilor, however, thinks that there will not be room for everyone.
This LR deputy is sure of it: “
If Pécresse is not in the second round, it will be a giant Koh Lanta among right-wing deputies
”.
Another question is also in everyone's mind: who to take over the Les Républicains party?
The succession is open because the current boss Christian Jacob will leave office after the legislative elections in June.
And if Valérie Pécresse is not in the second round, "
it's the explosion of our political family
", predicts a senator.
It's a safe bet indeed that the marriage of convenience between the nationalist identity line and the pro-European liberal line will be shattered.
The right is already buzzing with the beginnings of a recomposition around Laurent Wauquiez and Éric Ciotti, LR figures who flirt with the far right, and could reach out to Éric Zemmour voters.
The other camp within LR could join Emmanuel Macron.
It is the performance of Valérie Pécresse during the first round on April 10 which will first determine the extent of the explosion.
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Presidential France 2022
Valerie Pécresse
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