France: Bruno Retailleau in the starting blocks for the Les Républicains primary
French Senator Bruno Retailleau during a speech at the La Baule Summer University on August 31, 2019. AFP Photos/Sebastien Salom-Gomis
Text by: Lucile Gimberg Follow
2 mins
On the right, after the resounding defeat of Valérie Pécresse in the presidential election and the melting of the group in the Assembly, going from 100 to 60 deputies in the June legislative elections, Les Républicains are preparing for new turmoil in the fall.
The activists will have to choose a new leader for the party.
Bruno Retailleau could run against Éric Ciotti, deemed divisive by many LR parliamentarians.
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Main candidate already declared: the very right-wing deputy of the Alpes-Maritimes and former candidate for the primary Éric Ciotti.
But many right-wing parliamentarians consider his candidacy too divisive and push the boss of LR senators, Bruno Retailleau, to join the dance.
A candidacy that the Vendée should formalize this weekend when the Young LRs return to Angers.
"
We didn't get the scoop, he's keeping it for this weekend, but the probability is extremely high
," summarizes a senator.
Bruno Retailleau
met, this Thursday, September 1 in the evening in video, the LR senators to talk to them about his intentions in the race for the presidency of the party.
And even if the boss of the group in the Senate still leaves a few hours of reflection, all the signals converge towards a candidacy.
Moreover, the influential president of the Upper House, Gérard Larcher, has already given him his support.
Bruno Retailleau is the former spokesperson for François Fillon's disaster campaign in 2017. Senator of Vendée, always dressed to the nines, he is holding an ultra-conservative line.
However, his candidacy is expected by many so-called moderate elected officials within LR.
Described as more “
unifying
”, endowed with a “
solid ideological corpus
”, it is above all the solution that the members of the club “everything but Ciotti” found, for lack of anything better.
Because Éric Ciotti, the deputy of the Alpes-Maritimes with positions close to the far right, has so far been in the position of favorite to take over LR.
"
He has the support of activists, he made nearly 40% in the primary last year
," recalls a senator from the south-east.
A Retailleau candidacy would reshuffle the cards.
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French politics