after his departure from LR, soon in government?

DAMIEN ABAD. In the columns of Figaro, the deputy of Ain, Damien Abad, announced Thursday evening that he was leaving the presidency of the group Les Républicains in the National Assembly. Tipped to join the Borne government, he also announced that he was going on leave from LR.

[Mis à jour le 19 mai 2022 à 20h20] Will he join the Borne government or not? That is the question at a time when the reshuffle is long overdue. While many members of the Republicans called on him to clarify his position, Damien Abad was asked by Christian Jacob to leave his post as president of the LR group in the National Assembly on Thursday morning. In the columns of Figaro, this May 19 in the early evening, Damien Abad officially announced his resignation. “I decide today to leave my function as president of the LR group in the Assembly for the sake of clarity, consistency and responsibility”, assured the one who also declared to be on leave from his party. The Republicans.

“I remain a right-wing man, but I no longer recognize myself in LR’s approach”, he explained, affirming that “in the face of the populist danger, [il] don’t believe[t] not to old divisions, but to the gathering of all those who wish to advance our country”. Should we expect his entry into the Borne government in the coming days, as certain rumors claim? “I have no comment to make on the composition of the government”, he evacuated while, earlier in the day, Christian Jacob reproached him in a press release for waiting for Emmanuel Macron’s decision “to take it or not not take it from the government” before making his choice.

Can Damien Abad join Emmanuel Macron?

Only a few days after the re-election of Emmanuel Macron, Le Figaro had revealed a meeting at the Élysée between Damien Abad and Thierry Solère, political adviser to Emmanuel Macron known for recruiting new supporters on the right. A meeting which “remains of the order of the exchange of views”, assured his entourage to AFP. But the news, which fell in the middle of LR strategic advice, on April 26, cast a chill. Especially since, during this meeting, Damien Abad chose to abstain on the vote on the motion declaring the “independence” of the party from the Macronist bloc and from any other force in the National Assembly.

“This ni-ni does not suit me” (Damien Abad at Figaro, April 26)

“This ‘ni-ni’ does not suit me. I know how to tell the difference between Emmanuel Macron and the extremes”, then justified Damien Abad, questioned about his abstention by Le Figaro. Since then, regularly questioned about the possibility of seeing him join the presidential majority, the deputy has remained evasive.

A departure that could lead to others

What consequences could the departure of Damien Abad have? “Yes [LREM] managed to poach Abad, we would clearly be in trouble for the legislative elections. He is the boss of the LR deputies, can you imagine the confusion in the minds of the voters?” confided a party executive several days ago to the Figaro. An elected LR also said that Damien Abad would have “received a few elected officials in a small committee at the Assembly”, on Monday April 25. “How many felons?” wondered this same elected official.

Thursday, May 19, Damien Abad himself assured it in the columns of Figaro: “There is no unanimity of the group against me, nor for a frontal and radical opposition to Emmanuel Macron. I received many messages of support from LR deputies. I do not want to put them in difficulty, but they share my political line.