The leaders of the Republicans fixed this Tuesday in the national investiture committee the names of the candidates for the eligible places for the next European elections.
This Tuesday, April 30, 2024, the Republicans met in the national investiture committee (CNI) to determine the names that will appear on their list for the next Europeans. If the leading trio composed of François-Xavier Bellamy, Céline Imart and Christophe Gomart was already known, it was the next few places that were closely scrutinized. These few places considered eligible by the right because in the polls, LR is not taking off.
According to the latest reading from the Odoxa political barometer, carried out by Mascaret for Public Senate and the regional daily press, published this Tuesday, François-Xavier Bellamy, head of the LR list, is credited with 8% of voting intentions, in ambush behind a podium made up of the lists of the Socialist Party/Place publique led by Raphaël Glucksmann (12%), that of the majority led by Valérie Hayer (15.5%), behind the undisputed leader, Jordan Bardella for the National Rally (32 % of voting intentions).
Morano and Hortefeux, the indestructibles
The tenors of LR, including its president Eric Ciotti, the former president Laurent Wauquiez, the general secretary Annie Genevard, the head of the LR senators Bruneau Retailleau and his counterpart in the Assembly Olivier Marleix as well as the president of the CNI Michèle Tabarot decided after tough negotiations. The Republicans had promised a balance between renewal and experience, and now the choice of LR gives pride of place to the experienced, although a few surprises have crept into the team composition.
According to several sources, including Le Figaro and Politico echo this Tuesday, the name of Nadine Morano was checked in 6th position on the LR list led by François-Xavier Bellamy for the continental election on June 9. The MEP and former Secretary of State and Minister under Nicolas Sarkozy should be part of the adventure despite calls for renewal within the party. Same observation for Brice Hortefeux who did not hesitate to warn his political family against the temptation of not renewing the outgoing MEPs of which he is a member on the list. Paid strategy? It is clear that the former Minister of the Interior from 2009 to 2011 within the Fillon ll and lll governments should retain his seventh place on the LR list. A nice blow for his two “historical” right-wingers.
Surprises and tensions
The Republican list also includes a few small surprises. In 4th position comes the former LR MP for Ile-et-Vilaine, Isabelle Le Callennec. She notably supported Eric Ciotti during the last LR congress. The fifth position on the list would go to Laurent Castillo, professor of medicine and candidate in the last legislative elections of 2022 in the 3rd constituency of the Alpes-Maritimes. “It could be someone close to Ciotti,” Politico tells us. Nathalie Colin-Oesterlé and Anne Sander would occupy the 8th and 10th places respectively on the list. As for Guilhem Carayon, the president of young LR, 9th place would be promised to him. Geoffroy Didier would be relegated to 11th place. He would obviously not have benefited from his status as an outgoing MEP. Finally, 12th place should go to Nicolas Sarkozy’s former advisor, Emmanuelle Mignon.
Choices that do not seem to be to everyone’s taste. “The senators present at the CNI also expressed their disapproval” indicates Le Figaro. The daily indicates that Michèle Tabarot refused to present the list. For their part, Gérard Larcher and Bruno Retailleau, would have abstained at the time of the vote. Bickering which does not seem to have had any effect on the two winners at the start of the week on the right, Nadine Morano and Brice Hortefeux, two totems. In detail, the right must now unveil an official list of its first 31 candidates.