This was one of the issues of this first debate of the European campaign, Thursday March 14: how was the representative of the National Rally (RN), Thierry Mariani, going to justify the positioning of his party with regard to Vladimir Poutine ? In the absence of the head of the list, Jordan Bardella, who had expressed his contempt for the broadcaster Public Senate – renamed “poppy TV” –, the RN sent the most pro-Russian of its MEPs. A risky bet as the presidential majority has made the conflict in Ukraine the number one theme of its campaign.
But the presence of Thierry Mariani did not only trigger attacks from Renaissance candidate Valérie Hayer. All seven candidates charged the outgoing MEP. “It was because Mr. Putin was not available this evening that they sent him”quipped Manon Aubry (La France insoumise, LFI), while the ecologist Marie Toussaint asked him if he “had taken money” of the Russian president.
The head of the Republican (LR) list, François-Xavier Bellamy, opened another front against Nicolas Sarkozy’s former transport minister, by attacking him over his links with Azerbaijan, led by autocrat Ilham Aliev , in conflict with Armenia. “Your friend Mr. Aliev wants to make these people disappear because they are Christian, because they are European”he told her.
Mr. Mariani appeared in difficulty. “A war must always end in an agreement, did he try to justify his pro-Kremlin statements. And whatever happens, you will have to discuss with those who, at times, can be your worst enemies. »
“Bad patriot”
Mr Mariani’s presence also offered Raphaël Glucksmann an opportunity to put himself forward as chairman of the committee on foreign interference in the European Parliament. Claiming to have hesitated to practice the empty chair policy to protest against the arrival of the one he calls “the little Kremlin telegraph operator”he entered into a long duel with the representative of the RN, to better assume his role as the leading opponent of authoritarian regimes in the European Parliament. “You are a cheap patriot who defends a foreign tyranny whose principles and interests are fundamentally hostile to those of France and those of Europe”he asserted.
The Ukrainian subject allowed the different left-wing candidates to highlight their differences, between those who advocate ” the peace “ with Vladimir Putin and the supporters of a victory for Ukraine. “We only make peace with our enemies”assumed Manon Aubry, who does not want her “generation be sacrificed to fight in a war that would have no meaning”.
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