Struggling in the polls, the Republicans launched their European campaign on Saturday with a first major meeting near Paris, castigating the record of President Emmanuel Macron in the hope of recovering their “lost” voters. Collision or shipwreck. At the Docks of Paris, the right and its head of the list, François-Xavier Bellamy, have set the course to try to get afloat a candidacy stagnated around 7% to 8% of voting intentions. Dangerously close to 5%, synonymous with disappearance in the European Parliament.
It was therefore time to recall the troops, in front of some 3,000 activists gathered in Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis). “Right-wing voters who believed in Macronism, it’s time to open your eyes to what they are doing with your voice,” declared François-Xavier Bellamy, affirming that in Brussels “the Macronist delegation voted to 90% like the socialists. “Come back!”, urged party president Eric Ciotti before him, in “an appeal to those who, on the right, since 2017, have moved away” from the Republicans. “On June 9, do not misplace your vote again,” he added, pointing to the opponent: Emmanuel Macron, “the man who was worth a thousand billion euros in debt” and his “statements will- “at war over Ukraine”.
Caught in a vice
The head of state and his camp “only know how to wage war with words and photos”, then mocked General Christophe Gomart, number 3 on the list, acclaimed when he affirmed that “the parenthesis of ‘at the same time’ will close soon” and that “France will need the right to recover”. Because “when his two five-year terms are over, what will be left? Words, palaver (…) but nothing for France, nothing for the future of our children”, added farmer Céline Imart, in second position.
To support its candidates, the Republican staff was almost complete, notably the regional presidents (and potential presidential candidates of 2027) Laurent Wauquiez and Xavier Bertrand, as well as the president of the Senate Gérard Larcher. Outgoing MEPs were also present, in particular former Sarkozy ministers Nadine Morano and Brice Hortefeux, who hope to be reappointed, preferably in an eligible position.
All support is good to take for LR caught between the Macronist camp led by Valérie Hayer, which peaks at around 18% and the National Rally of Jordan Bardella, which hovers around 30%. Eric Ciotti thus made his “friends from the New Center” of Hervé Morin applaud, whom he wanted to have at his side when others “lose their way with Macronie”.
Wind in the sails
A dig at the centrists of the UDI, allied with LR in the Senate, but who confirmed on Saturday their rallying to the presidential majority for the June 9 election. Their leader Hervé Marseille denounced on this occasion the right-wing “drift” of the Republicans and deemed it “indispensable to get closer to political groups for which the European ideal remains a compass”. This reinforcement will undoubtedly not be decisive but it is welcome for Valérie Hayer, on deck for only three weeks and still without crew, the rest of her “Need for Europe” list not to be revealed before April.
In the meantime, the candidate, lacking notoriety, held a meeting on Friday evening in Bayonne, where she warned of the “major risk” of “blocking of European institutions” by the far right. On Saturday, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal accompanied him in a door-to-door operation in Hauts-de-Seine, proof that the executive intends to get involved as much as possible to try to catch up with the RN and keep its ahead of other competitors.
Because on the port side, another candidate has the wind in his sails. Credited with double-digit scores, up to 13% in certain polls, Raphaël Glucksmann can approach his Sunday meeting at the Phare de Tournefeuille (Haute-Garonne) in the Toulouse suburbs with confidence. A land of the left where the entourage of the head of the PS-Place publique list hopes to transform the test and disrupt the Bardella-Hayer match, while widening the gap with the environmentalist and rebellious rivals. But “no question of playing it hegemonic”, we add among the socialists who obtained only 6.19% of the votes five years ago.