Fontainebleau (France) (AFP)

Forty mayors of the moderate right and of the center, including former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, met Sunday in Fontainebleau (Seine-et-Marne), promising to structure themselves to "weigh" more politically as the presidential election of 2022.

This meeting marked the common return of two associations of elected officials very close: "La France audacieuse" of the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi, who left Les Républicains three months ago, and "La République des maires" of the Aédile d'Angers Christophe Béchu, ex-LR since 2017.

Behind the scenes is a political space leaning to the right and rather favorable to Emmanuel Macron, whose figurehead could eventually become, if it materializes more, Edouard Philippe.

Among the participants on Sunday were the usual network of the former resident of Matignon, of the mayor of Toulouse Jean-Luc Moudenc to that of Toulon Hubert Falco, through Alain Chrétien (Vesoul), Arnaud Robinet (Reims) etc.

A new step in the consolidation of these galaxies has therefore been accomplished, with 2022 in sight. policy in the coming months ", summarized Mr. Béchu, whose association will hold its congress at Mr. Philippe's in Le Havre at the beginning of October.

Mr. Estrosi for his part clarified the positioning of these mayors, both "independent from any partisan structure", but also "loyal partners of the State".

"It is clear that the President of the Republic, his governments, consulted us regularly" during the covid crisis in particular, "were listening to us, allowed us to be complementary to face the great fears of our fellow citizens ", greeted the mayor of Nice, who slammed the door of LR on the occasion of the regional elections.

But "we do not intend to be a springboard for any candidate whatsoever at home," tempered the mayor of Nice.

Basically, these elected officials want to push so that "this presidential campaign does not miss the issues of territory and municipal organizations", insisted Mr. Béchu.

Observing that the rule of non-accumulation of mandates leads the mayors to no longer be able to "speak in Parliament", Mr. Estrosi said he wanted to "support the reflection of the Head of State and his government on new stages of the decentralization ", particularly in the context of the review of the 3DS law, which will soon be expected in the Assembly.

Edouard Philippe during a press conference on the health situation in Matignon on April 19, 2020 Thibault Camus POOL / AFP / Archives

In addition, MM.

Béchu and Estrosi said they were offended by the "brutality" with which the succession is organized within the powerful Association of Mayors of France (AMF), currently headed by the LR mayor of Troyes François Baroin.

The latter announced to transmit the witness to the LR mayor of Cannes David Lisnard, who will continue to work in tandem with the vice-president André Laignel, mayor PS of Issoudun.

In this context, a reflection was initiated Sunday to develop a competing list, before the submission of applications on September 8.

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