* A “warm” interview in the offices of the former president
* The Republican candidate weakened by defections
* Uncertainty about Sarkozy’s attitude as the first round approaches
by Sophie Louet
PARIS, Feb 11 (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Valérie Pécresse spoke on Friday with former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who offered her “advice” at a delicate time in his campaign. jostled by defections and stalled polls.
The face-to-face meeting, expected since the victory of the president of the Ile-de-France region in the LR primary last December, was aimed in particular at dispelling the trouble born of the silence of the former head of state. and his lack of clear support for his ex-minister.
The entourage of Nicolas Sarkozy, who received the candidate in his offices on rue de Miromesnil, not far from the Elysée, told Reuters that Valérie Pécresse “had requested this interview several days ago”.
The defections in quick succession of the former LR Budget Minister Eric Woerth, of the LR mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart and of the former Secretary of State for Health, under Nicolas Sarkozy, Nora Berra, towards the macronist ranks have suddenly darkened the week of the candidate, who held her first major meeting at the Zenith in Paris on Sunday.
According to the latest measurement of the Ifop-Fiducial poll for Paris Match, LCI and Sud Radio, Valérie Pécresse and Eric Zemmour, candidate of “Reconquête”, would now be in a pocket handkerchief in the voting intentions for the first round: 15 % for the first (which is 3rd), 14.5% for the second (4th).
The “warm” welcome from Nicolas Sarkozy should give the campaign team some heartache, even if uncertainty remains since an article in Le Figaro, published on Wednesday, portrayed a “doubtful”, “skeptical” former president “, even severe with regard to the candidate.
“A FAMILY TIME”
“It went very well,” it was said in the entourage of the former head of state, who would be irritated that Valérie Pécresse ignores her name and her mandate while she regularly refers to Jacques Chirac, his mentor.
“It was quite normal for Nicolas Sarkozy to receive it. This gave the opportunity for an in-depth discussion in a very friendly and warm atmosphere. Nicolas Sarkozy was happy with this moment,” said those around him.
Valérie Pécresse had a broad smile as she left the premises at 77 rue de Miromesnil, where an invitation is worth almost a knighthood.
The chosen one rejoiced in front of the press of “a conversation between friends, a frank and affectionate conversation”.
“It was very useful for me to have the advice of a former President of the Republic and it was also, I was going to say, a family moment”, added the one who has never been part of the first circle of the former president.
In private, Nicolas Sarkozy, according to Le Figaro, is strongly critical of the campaign of Valérie Pécresse, which even some within his camp judge that it “does not print”, while relativizing the bumps of a straight line still long until the first round on April 10.
The ex-president would not have tasted the use of the word “Kärcher” by the candidate during a trip to the South in early January on the subject of security, judging this recovery unwelcome and out of context.
Nicolas Sarkozy would also worry about a lack of “dynamics” and a campaign going “in all directions”.
Pending the official entry into the running of outgoing President Emmanuel Macron, the signals granted by the former head of state in the coming weeks will be scrutinized by his camp.
In March 2021, in an interview with Le Figaro, Nicolas Sarkozy said he would say who he supports “in complete transparency with the political family”, “when everyone has asserted their legitimate ambitions”. (Written by Sophie Louet, edited by Tangi Salaün)