Republican activists began voting Wednesday morning to nominate their presidential candidate, opening a four-day ballot that promises to be tight after an express campaign.

Michel Barnier, Xavier Bertrand, Eric Ciotti, Valérie Pécresse and the outsider Philippe Juvin present themselves at this LR congress, the winner of which will be known on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

The first of the two rounds of the electronic ballot opened at 8 a.m. and is due to end by Thursday 2 p.m.

The second will take place from Friday 8 a.m. to Saturday 2 p.m.

The majority of federations also have a physical voting point in support.

A press conference will follow each time.

On the practical side, the party has done everything to secure the process, entrusted to the Neovote platform: "Each voter must provide a mobile number, an email address and a postal address to be able to vote," recalls the president of LR Christian Jacob.

140,000 voters

The vote promises to be very open, each of the four "big" candidates being able to claim the second round, especially as the approach of the congress has attracted new members. A total of 140,000 people will be able to vote. Very far from the some 4 million voters in 2016, but it was then an open primary where everyone, for 2 euros and a profession of faith, could vote.

Before the end of the official campaign, Tuesday evening, the candidates had a last opportunity to expose their programs during a televised debate and to forget the irruption of Eric Zemmour in the campaign.

"He does not have the stature to bring together the French," said Xavier Bertrand, while Michel Barnier felt that "we need seriousness, dignity, respect".

Valérie Pécresse has mocked the “feverishness” of the far-right polemicist, which she opposes to a right “of return”.

Distanced by Macron and the far right

If this candidacy of Eric Zemmour is not a surprise, the date seems to have been chosen on purpose to interfere with the LR ballot, especially as the identity candidate will hold a meeting on Sunday at the Zenith, the day after the results of the congress. The right, however, remains behind in the polls for the presidential election, behind Emmanuel Macron and the far right. LR hopes that momentum will kick in once his candidate is nominated.

With the approach of the poll, public meetings, interviews and announcements of support multiplied until Tuesday, each throwing its last strength into the battle to try to convince the undecided, each playing its card: rally for Xavier Bertrand, competence for Valérie Pécresse, serious for Michel Barnier, rupture for Eric Ciotti… The fourth and last debate was also the occasion to speak about their program beyond immigration and the insecurity which dominated the campaign.

No "insurmountable" differences

Michel Barnier thus advocated a "great family policy", Xavier Bertrand housing assistance for caregivers in tense areas, Valérie Pécresse the recruitment of 25,000 carers, and Philippe Juvin the obligation to spend a year in medical deserts. "There may be differences between us but nothing is insurmountable," said Michel Barnier, who has repeatedly criticized the proposals of Valérie Pécresse, on the purchasing power that he compared to those of François Hollande, or on his "ax committee" against the bureaucracy.

On the economy, the former European Union negotiator for Brexit wanted to “reinvest in strategic companies” via a sovereign fund, while Xavier Bertrand, the only one to defend retirement at 64 (the others want 65 ), took up the formula of "work more to earn more" from Nicolas Sarkozy.

Eric Ciotti repeated his plan to remove inheritance tax.

Candidates are kept silent until the results are announced on Thursday.

They will have to withdraw again Thursday at 11.59pm, until the name of the winner is revealed on Saturday.

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Presidential 2022: LR candidates castigate Zemmour's lack of "stature" during their last debate

  • Michel barnier

  • Xavier Bertrand

  • Valerie Pécresse

  • Primary

  • Primary right

  • Elections

  • Presidential election 2022

  • The Republicans (LR)

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