Paris (AFP)

After the method, the calendar: the contenders for the LR nomination will have until October 13 to declare their candidacy, and party boss Christian Jacob ruled out on Tuesday that Eric Zemmour could stand.

"Mr. Zemmour is in his hallway, it is not mine. As he speaks, we share less and less things with him" and "his words are becoming worrying," said Mr. Jacob at the end of a strategic committee of the party.

"There is no debate, as we have always said, he is not in our political family, he has nothing to do in the context of our selection for a candidate," he said. added.

After having decided on Saturday the method of designation, via a congress of the only members which will take place on December 4, LR on Tuesday defined its schedule by then.

The party will convene a political bureau on October 6 to record that a committee will organize and oversee the entire process.

In addition to members of the management, "a representative of each of the candidates" will be part of it, we said to the management.

Another political office is scheduled for October 13 to validate the candidacies, each candidate having to commit in writing to respect the values ​​of the right and the center, and to publicly support the nominated candidate in fine.

The contenders for the nomination will then have until November 2 to gather 250 sponsorships of elected officials.

As for the voters, only LR members will be able to vote: memberships will be open until November 16, ie two weeks before the first round of the congress.

Each of the candidates will be auditioned on November 20 by LR's national council, its extended governing body.

The winner will be proclaimed on December 4, at the end of a congress which could take place from Wednesday to Thursday for the first round, and from Friday to Saturday for the second.

The declared candidates are for the moment Valérie Pécresse (ex-LR), as well as LR Michel Barnier, Eric Ciotti and Philippe Juvin who have said on Twitter their intention to participate in the process.

Xavier Bertrand, opposed to a primary but who seemed less intransigent in the event of a congress, has not yet spoken.

© 2021 AFP