Alexandre Chauveau 07:41, April 11, 2022

Sunday evening was the first round of the presidential election, marked by the new Macron / Le Pen duel but also the historically low score of Valérie Pécresse.

4.6% of the votes, which leads to the non-reimbursement of his campaign expenses, and directly threatens the future of the Republicans.

The right-wing party is today quite simply threatened with implosion.

Sunday evening, at the announcement of the results, it is a completely stunned room which welcomes the news of the defeat of Valérie Pécresse.

The latest feedback from the field had given the trend.

But this time, the score is official: the Republican candidate is below 5%.

A huge disappointment for the activists.

"We couldn't talk about a project"

"It's a disappointment for all of us, but we're not going to change our beliefs because it didn't work. Valérie Pécresse's strength was not so much her charisma, it was above all her project, and we n 'couldn't talk about the project,' said one of them at the microphone of Europe 1.

At 8:15 p.m., Valérie Pécresse appears on stage, applauded by the room, which salutes her campaign.

The candidate acknowledges her responsibility for the defeat, and announces that she will vote for Emmanuel Macron in the second round: "I ask the voters who have honored me with their confidence to weigh in the days to come with seriousness, the potentially disastrous consequences for our country and future generations of any choice different from mine". 

A few minutes after his speech, the room empties.

All eyes are now on the legislative elections, where Les Républicains are playing for their survival more than ever.

"We are in mortal danger" conceded last night a party executive, who called at the same time to redo everything "from the ceiling to the floor".

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Two lines will compete at LR

Because the political future of the right darkened considerably last night, and two lines will now clash.

That known as the "republican front", carried by Michel Barnier, Damien Abad or Rachida Dati, who have already called to vote in favor of Emmanuel Macron.

And that embodied by the more conservative wing of LR, Eric Ciotti in particular, who did not rule out voting for Marine Le Pen in the second round.

The official line of the party should in any case be decided today, during a political office at the headquarters of the Republicans, where all the tenors of the right are expected.

The other concern is the party coffers.

Daniel Fasquelle, the treasurer of the Republicans, ensures that finances will not be affected and that all employees will be well paid.

But Valérie Pécresse has taken out a loan, the amount of which has not been filtered, and which she will now have to repay.

The right, which did not expect such a low score, will now play its survival in the coming weeks, especially in June during the legislative elections.