Paris (AFP)

The Republicans changed their statutes on Monday to boost their declining "youth" movement, giving it greater autonomy.

"I was committed to breathe new life into the Young Republicans. By the approval of its activists, our political family is making youth a priority today," assured party chairman Christian Jacob on Twitter.

A little more than 10,000 members voted, during the dematerialized congress organized Sunday and Monday, on three modifications aimed at allowing "enhanced participation" of young people within the party.

Members approved by 95.7% the idea of ​​"granting enhanced autonomy to the Federation of Young Republicans", "guaranteeing (its) financial autonomy" and strengthening its representation "within national bodies".

The age limit has been raised from 30 to 35, according to a party statement.

"Right-wing youth is entering the 21st century", for his part congratulated the deputy of the North Pierre-Henri Dumont.

LR, which has seen its workforce decline in recent years before halting its fall in recent months, thus intends to "equip itself with a structured Youth movement, open to all and capable of directly addressing the new generation", specifies the press release.

LR now has 4,800 members under the age of 30, against around 20,000 in 2015, at the time of Nicolas Sarkozy.

Raising the age limit should automatically bring the number of these young people to 6,000.

But The Republicans, who have focused on youth at their 2020 return organized in Port-Marly, have since boasted of increasing memberships, to 470 for the month of January alone (against 240 young people per month in early 2020).

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