Pécresse-Sarkozy meeting: the ex-president still silent on potential support

Europe 1 with AFP 3:24 p.m., February 11, 2022, modified at 3:25 p.m., February 11, 2022

Valérie Pécresse had a conversation "among friends" with Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday, whose support is long overdue, which is fueling speculation a few days before the first major campaign meeting for presidential candidate LR.

"We had a frank and affectionate conversation" and "it was very useful for me to have the advice of a former President of the Republic", assured Valérie Pécresse, "very happy with this interview" of more than an hour with the former head of state which was "also a family moment".

In Nicolas Sarkozy's entourage, they describe "an in-depth discussion in a very friendly and warm atmosphere".

“Valérie Pécresse had requested this interview several days ago,

The meeting had taken on particular importance after several signals interpreted as so many alerts.

First of all rallies to Emmanuel Macron: the former Sarkozyist minister Eric Woerth on Wednesday, the mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart on Thursday and Friday the former Secretary of State Nora Berra, who all considered excessive the place given to immigration by candidate LR.

Thursday, Rachida Dati crushed Patrick Stefanini, Valérie Pécresse's campaign manager, calling him a "loser" and a "deserter".

Above all, comments attributed to Nicolas Sarkozy in an article in

have fueled speculation: "Valérie goes all over the place", she is "non-existent" and "didn't understand anything about the campaign", "he doesn't

A decisive meeting

After a fanfare start in early December, the campaign of the president of the Ile-de-France region is indeed skating, and critics are expressing themselves on its too technical nature.

Far behind Emmanuel Macron in the polls, Valérie Pécresse is in a pocket handkerchief with her far-right rivals Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour.

In the candidate's team, we relativize: "We must not attach any importance" to rallies which "the voters do not care about," says one.

"It's up to Nicolas Sarkozy to decide what he says" about his support, assures another.

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But some do not hide their annoyance after these rallies.

"It's calculated a few days before the meeting" on Sunday, affirms a Pécssiste who targets the Macron camp: "This is proof that Valérie Pécresse worries them."

"This establishes the fact that the meeting will be ultra decisive", while 6,000 people are expected at the Zenith in Paris, he adds, convinced that Nicolas Sarkozy is "playing" with the situation and wants to recall his weight.

Last president that the right has known, figure of the commander of an entire political family, he has still not supported Valérie Pécresse and displays a certain closeness with Emmanuel Macron.

"Who made him minister for five years, huh, is it Chirac?"

On January 30 on France 3, the candidate said her "conviction" that the former head of state "will support his political family" but "it's his choice", she insisted, before adding: "I don't I'm not a girl under guardianship, I have my independence."

"Not sure that he liked it", judges an ex-LR rallied to Macronie, who assures him: "Nicolas Sarkozy's voice counts in the right-wing electorate. It would be a thunderbolt if he did not didn't support."

Valérie Pécresse also made a lot of reference to Jacques Chirac in this campaign.

"She would be well advised to quote me a little if she wants me to support her", would have according to

affirmed Nicolas Sarkozy.

"Who made him minister for five years, huh,

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Words that are difficult to verify, even if the interlocutors of the former head of state testify that he may have a hard tooth.

"On the form, it is quite rough. He is not in absolute detestation, but hey ... He sees the lack of impact of the measures, the Kärcher it did not please him because it did not requested", testifies an elected official, in allusion to the martial words of the candidate claiming to want to "bring out the Kärcher" in the face of delinquency.

And then "Sarko he needs to be treated. Macron will treat him a little", adds this elected official who says he is "quite pragmatic: if we are in a position to beat Macron, he will have no other choice than us support. On the other hand, if we are in difficulty, he can support us on the head".