Paris (AFP)
Senate President Gérard Larcher announced Tuesday the holding of a "major national convention" in October, after a meeting of hierarchs of the right and center organized after the defeat of the Republicans in the European elections.
"We unanimously decided to gather in our diversity to organize this June, regional, departmental and local conventions, which will end with a major national convention in October, with the aim of offering a great alternative to the French" said Larcher in a brief statement to the press.
The President of the Senate took the initiative of this meeting, which was attended by the leaders of parliamentary groups LR Christian Jacob (Assembly) and Bruno Retailleau (Senate), Philippe Vigier (Freedom and Territories, Assembly) and Hervé Marseille (Union Centriste, Senate).
Also present were the three bosses of the large associations of elected officials François Baroin (mayors, LR), Dominique Bussereau (departments, ex-LR) and Hervé Morin (regions, Centrists), as well as regional presidents LR: Laurent Wauquiez, Valérie Pécresse, Renaud Muselier, Jean Rottner, Christelle Morançais.
The meeting comes amidst crisis Republicans, whose President Laurent Wauquiez resigned Sunday after the fiasco of the European.
"The political situation places us in the face of a democratic challenge that we have decided to meet together," said Larcher.
This "great alternative" will have "to take its source in the territories and their initiatives", continued the president of the Senate which also announced the meetings "to make a point of step" at the beginning of July and the beginning of September.
We will prepare this great national convention at the beginning of October and it is also this evening a call to all our colleagues, to the active forces of this country, to the intermediary bodies, the associations, so that this alternative is a shared alternative and that goes towards the essential: the meeting and the confidence of the French, "concluded Mr. Larcher.
? 2019 AFP