The time is long gone when the triumphant right won, in the early 1990s, almost all the seats in Paris.

After the 2017 legislative elections, LR only kept two deputies: Brigitte Kuster and Claude Goasguen (who died in 2020), both in western Paris.

And the battle promises to be tough in a city that voted 35.3% for Emmanuel Macron in the first round of the presidential election, against 6.6% for Valérie Pécresse.

“We are the outsiders”, recognizes Agnès Evren, president of the LR federation of Paris, who however has “good hope of keeping these two constituencies” thanks to the local establishment of the candidates.

However, faced with the threat Nupes on the left, LR should not again bear the brunt of a "useful vote" in favor of LREM.

In the 4th district (16th and part of the 17th arrondissement), Brigitte Kuster sees a major difference with 2017: "there is no enthusiasm for Emmanuel Macron", affirms the one who will face Astrid Panosyan, one of the founders of En Marche!.

MP LR Brigitte Kuster at the National Assembly in Paris, February 6, 2019 Christophe ARCHAMBAULT AFP / Archives

On the Berthier market where she tows, the welcome is benevolent but some voters do not hide their concern, after the 4.8% of Valérie Pécresse in the presidential election: "People should pull themselves together in the legislative elections. Our image is tarnished”, assures Frédérique Le Floch, a local resident, who has seen many right-wing voters go to Macron.

In the 14th district, the LR mayor of the 16th arrondissement Francis Szpiner will face LREM Benjamin Haddad, himself a UMP member.

Elsewhere, the game promises to be tough for the right in a position of conquest: the surprise could come from the mayor LR of the 6th arrondissement Jean-Pierre Lecoq (facing the walker Gilles Le Gendre) or from Marie-Claire Carrère-Gée, who will challenge the outgoing Modem Maud Gatel in the 11th.

"Mess"

In the background are also looming, for LR, the municipal elections of 2026, and the question of a candidacy of Rachida Dati for mayor of Paris.

"This is an opportunity to show Parisians that we want to defend them and that we are in a logic of reconquering Paris to improve their living environment. That's why Rachida Dati campaigned in the constituencies, she moved everywhere", explains the adviser LR of Paris Nelly Garnier.

But LR must also face device quarrels with the UDI, which deplores that Paris is one of the only departments, with Hauts-de-Seine, "where it was not possible to reach an agreement legislative".

In Hauts-de-Seine too, the right suffered a setback in 2017, its only two elected deputies (Thierry Solère and Constance Le Grip) having since passed into the majority camp.

Between the UDI and LR, a crisis meeting took place without finding an agreement.

"It's a waste, very irrational", assures AFP Senator UDI Hervé Marseille, and "it has pushed many of our elected officials to work with the majority", he adds.

"LR negotiated to the end but the UDI wanted a majority of circos and Hervé Marseille made an alliance with LREM for the senatorials", we reply at LR.

So the right leaves in dispersed order.

In the 8th district (Chaville, Meudon...), the UDI deputy to the mayor of Meudon, Virginie Lanlo, joined forces with LREM spokesperson Prisca Thévenot to confront LR communications director Cécile Richez.

In the 13th (Antony, Bourg-la-Reine ...), stronghold for thirty years of Patrick Devedjan, the UDI mayor of Sceaux Philippe Laurent will face ... a municipal councilor of the majority, Numa Isnard, invested by LR.

LREM presents another spokesperson, Maud Bregeon.

The ex-primary candidate LR Philippe Juvin is also embarking on the battle.

Its location gives, it is believed on the right, real chances for the mayor of La Garenne-Colombes.

Faced with this supporter of an alliance with the majority, LREM has not sent a heavyweight.

© 2022 AFP