Successively spokesperson for the government, boss of La République en Marche and Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castaner was supposed to be comfortably elected at the head of the LREM group in the National Assembly.

The result of the second round, Thursday, September 10, showed a very different reality, a sign of an obvious fracture within the majority.

The deputy for Alpes-de-Haute-Provence was certainly elected, but with only 55% of the votes, against 45% for the other finalist, the deputy for Yvelines Aurore Bergé.

She reacted to the result with a concise tweet: "The rally cannot be decreed, it is built. It is not an option, but a necessity. Together, LREM deputies, we must respond to the urgency of the democratic crisis and carry our convictions high. Everyone will play their part, alongside Christophe Castaner, "she wrote on Twitter.

The gathering cannot be decreed, it is built.

It is not an option, but a necessity.


Together, deputies @LaREM_AN, we must respond to the urgency of the democratic crisis and hold our convictions high.



Everyone will play their part, alongside @CCastaner.

- Aurore Bergé (@auroreberge) September 10, 2020

A figure of the majority, from the Les Républicains party, Aurore Bergé represents more of the right and liberal wing of La République en Marche.

But his campaign for the presidency of the group ignored the left-right divide and put more emphasis on the autonomy of the group vis-à-vis the executive.

So much so that she was able to rally to her members of the majority rather labeled on the left, such as the president of the law committee, Yaël Braun-Pivet, or the deputy for La Manche, Sonia Krimi.

The latter believes that there are now two factions within the group: a first, legitimist and faithful to the inner circle of Emmanuel Macron, ready to accept any instructions from above;

and a second, desiring more freedom and independence.

"Look closely at this crack that has created"

"Christophe Castaner will have to look closely at this crack that has created, judge Sonia Krimi, contacted by France 24 shortly after the announcement of the result. He has a lot of work ahead of him, it will not be easy to appease some colleagues who categorically refused the arrival of a new historical party cadre at their head. "

>> To read: With the creation of a dissident group, LREM loses its absolute majority in the Assembly

Especially since the former member of the government has only sat for a few months in the National Assembly since June 2017 and he has never been involved in the life of the LREM group, currently meeting near Amiens for his "parliamentary days".

Its task therefore promises to be difficult.

"He must give pledges to these deputies who supported Aurore Bergé and who have the impression of being only voting machines", judges a parliamentary source within LREM, contacted by France 24. "These are Basically, they complain about two things: They are fed up with things being imposed on them from above and they need to regain some pride in what they do. "

>> To read: First stumbles within the Republic on the move

Concretely, this can take different forms: arbitration in their favor, a bill accepted by the executive, more democratic functioning within the group which would respect all sensibilities.

Stop the departures of deputies

"Whatever Christophe Castaner does, there will most likely be other defections, believes Sonia Krimi. It is inevitable."

And for good reason, the bleeding within La République en Marche continues.

From 310 deputies in the summer of 2017, this one, after losing the absolute majority in the spring, is now only composed of 275 members after three new departures at the beginning of the week, this time to the allies of the Modem.

The deputy Perrine Goulet - in particular a specialist in child protection - is part of the small group of deputies who will leave LREM to join the Modem in the National Assembly.

Here is the message she sent to her colleagues ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/d3zgcL8kdk

- Parlemen'ter (@Parlementerfr) September 7, 2020

François Bayrou's party has been on the offensive for several weeks by trying to poach elected members of the majority.

A dozen additional deputies could thus announce in the coming days their rallying to the MoDem, according to Le Point.

This is the other challenge that awaits Christophe Castaner.

Because even if La République en Marche remains the majority group in the National Assembly, its allies are gaining influence.

The new boss of the group will therefore have to quickly resolve this equation.

The solution will perhaps pass through the creation, in the pipes for several weeks, of an intergroup of the parliamentary majority bringing together LREM, the Modem and Agir.

The summary of the week

France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 application

google-play-badge_FR