Municipal: Gérard Collomb divested by LREM

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In France, Gérard Collomb is divested by the presidential party. The Republic on the move withdraws its investiture to the outgoing mayor of Lyon, who took a slap in the first round of the municipal elections and announced to make an alliance with the right for the second round. For the movement of President Emmanuel Macron, the outgoing mayor of Lyon has "crossed the red line".

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It didn't take long. 24 hours after the announcement of this surprise alliance with the right, the break is complete between Gérard Collomb and La République en Marche. The presidential party's investiture committee, which met urgently on Friday, denounced a "unilateral" decision by Gérard Collomb and regretted that he had not sought to bring together "the progressives".

Disappointed, disgusted, the walkers feel betrayed by the man who was one of those close to Emmanuel Macron, of whom he was Minister of the Interior.

Not sure, however, that the withdrawal of the En Marche label would upset Gérard Collomb, who in 40 years of political life has seen others. The former socialist, a macronist from the start, and now allied with the Republicans, fully accepts his choice. The choice of "continuity", a way "to ensure his succession", he says.

Gérard Collomb attacks environmentalists (who came first in the municipal elections) who, according to him, "have evolved to the extreme left" and he recalls that Emmanuel Macron, also in his time, had crossed "the line red ”by turning his back on former President François Hollande.

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• 2020 municipal elections
• France
• Gérard Collomb