The next major electoral event, the European elections must take place next June. But even if certain parties have already designated their champions for this election: the environmentalists, Reconquest or the National Rally (RN), the campaign has not started. And for good reason, on the majority side, preparations are just beginning and the designation of the head of the list is not happening right away.
There is no point in running, you have to start on time. To listen to the leaders of the majority, one might believe that they are applying the lessons of La Fontaine’s fable to the letter, as their stated objective is above all not to leave too early for the European elections. A strategy that national news, with the immigration bill in particular, and international news, with the conflict in the Middle East, makes even more essential. A Renaissance executive puts it bluntly: “ We have no interest in leaving now, we wouldn’t talk about Europe. » And that is what the presidential party fears: letting itself be drawn into a national debate by its adversaries because its objective is to campaign by praising its European record.
The RN widens the gap in the polls
By waiting, won’t the majority risk losing ground? This is what the polls could suggest, which place the National Rally with Jordan Bardella well in the lead. Since his appointment, he has widened the gap, eight points more than Renaissance, 28 against 20 at the latest estimates. Not even afraid wants to believe a communicator from the presidential party who describes Jordan Bardella as a “ gondola head, not a list head “, when a member of the majority declares: ” Bardella should not be overestimated, he is fallible on European issues. It is not necessarily the best tribune who wins the election. » But not everyone displays the same confidence, a deputy from a party allied to the majority believes that Bardella is “ very good ” and that such an advance of the RN in the polls could lead to a ” rustle “. It all depends on who will be at the top of the list.
What names are circulating?
There are hypotheses, trial balloons, rumors… Stéphane Séjourné, the leader of the Macronist group in Strasbourg, who hesitates, Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for the internal market, who does not deny, Bruno Le Mayor, who says no regularly… And who knows maybe a surprise pulled out of the hat by Emmanuel Macron. Because one thing is certain, it is he who will choose at the beginning of 2024, in January or February, to launch the machine before entering the campaign, he has already promised a new major speech on Europe , to speed up the tempo.