The National Rally has attracted Fabrice Leggeri for the next European elections despite requests from the Republicans. He will be positioned in third place on the list led by Jordan Bardella.
Saturday February 17, the former director of Frontex, the European Union agency responsible for border control, Fabrice Leggeri, announced that he was joining the ranks of the National Rally for the European elections next June. The latter will be in third position on Jordan Bardella’s list. However, this tour de force on the part of the RN was not a foregone conclusion. The 55-year-old senior civil servant was particularly courted by Les Républicains. Enough to pout at the start of the week for Eric Ciotti’s clan.
The LR list too uncertain to seduce Leggeri?
The Republicans’ seduction operation to attract Fabrice Leggeri into their nets falls through. However, exchanges took place between several LR executives and François-Xavier Bellamy, head of the party’s list for the European elections. “The MEP wanted the senior official of the Ministry of the Interior to be very high on his list” indicates Politico this Monday morning. Bad luck, the LR list is not certain of collecting 5% of the votes, the minimum threshold for obtaining a seat in the European Parliament. However, on the list of Jordan Bardella and the RN, Fabrice Leggeri is guaranteed to get what he wants. “Leggeri wants to be sure of being elected, with LR this is not the case” explains a party strategist to Politico.
Bardella and Leggeri on Ciotti land this Monday
It is therefore a failure for François Xavier Bellamy, Éric Ciotti and the entire LR camp. A hard blow that calls for others. Indeed, the National Rally was quick to rub salt in the wound. From this Monday, head south for Bardella and Leggeri, direction Menton and Saint-Laurent-du-Var (Alpes-Maritimes) for a trip around the migration issue. A visit to the lands of LR president Eric Ciotti who could cringe after missing the opportunity to enlist Leggeri. “The team will be completed gradually” he prefers to temper in the columns of Figaro this Sunday, while promising “a message of roots” for the next European elections.
“Our objective is to regain control of the borders, both those of the European Union and those of France,” indicated for his part, the former director of Frontex in the JDD. And the choice of Var is not insignificant for the National Rally at the start of the week: Eric Zemmour had achieved some of his best scores there, 13.5% compared to 7% at the national level in 2022. The time has therefore come to the RN to try to grab certain avenues among sympathizers Reconquest in order to increase its lead over the Macronists.