Alexandre Chauveau 06:17, May 30, 2023

While Edouard Philippe is still leading the popularity polls among the French, several personalities within his party, Horizons, express their desire for emancipation from Macronia. In their sights: the presidential election of 2027 and the desire to present an offer that goes beyond the simple balance sheet of Emmanuel Macron.

"It's hard to make another voice heard." The observation, marked by frustration, is dropped by an important elected official of Horizons. Edouard Philippe's party voted 94% of the texts presented by the government. A seemingly logical strategy, the party being a member of the majority, but which raises questions internally. "At some point, another offer will have to be presented," pleads an executive, who deplores the lack of proposals from Horizons on major themes such as education or health. "Today, our program revolves around one man, but who can give the exact definition of Philippism?" asks this elected official of a big city.

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The Senate: next test for the majority

Edouard Philippe continues his tour of the sub-prefectures, away from the media radar. "He is in a phase of rooting and preparation to be mature when necessary," confirms one of his relatives. And emancipating oneself from the majority does not seem, at this stage, to be on the agenda. "This does not prevent him from having his own identity," summarizes one in the entourage of the mayor of Le Havre.

Nevertheless, the senatorial elections in September will be a test, because Horizons intends to invest the maximum number of candidates. With a large number of local elected officials, some plead internally to impose their candidates, even if it means going to the arm wrestling with Renaissance. The challenge is to multiply the number of elected officials at the national level to influence the future of the country. "We should not become an AMF bis" deplores the mayor of a large city, for whom Horizons must be more at the initiative, and must not be limited to a simple grouping of mayors.