DAMIEN ABAD. Invested by the Les Républicains party for the legislative elections, Damien Abad, the current president of the LR deputies in the Assembly, would ask himself the question of rallying the presidential camp …
Will Damien Abad present himself under the colors of the LR party in the legislative elections next June? Doubt is allowed. The current deputy for Ain, who is none other than the president of the group The Republicans in the National Assembly since 2019, seems to be asking serious questions. Like some of his colleagues, since the crushing defeat of Valérie Pécresse in the first round of the presidential election (4.78%), the temptation to join Emmanuel Macron’s party is great.
Damien Abad, however, is not new to the party. If he started politics at the UDF, then at the New Center, he joined the UMP in 2012, a party that has since been renamed Les Républicains. He has held his seat as a deputy since that date, and was also vice-president of the Republicans from 2017 to 2019, before taking over as head of the deputies.
It is therefore natural that the party has planned to reinvest it in the 2022 legislative elections, in the 5th district of Ain. But in recent weeks, several signs have cast doubt on his loyalty. First there was a message of enthusiastic support from Damien Abad to Emmanuel Macron, the evening of the second round of the presidential election. “I extend my sincere congratulations to Emmanuel Macron. Tonight, France has made a clear choice. In the interest of our country and for the French people, I wish five years of success to our President of the Republic”, writes then the elected LR on Twitter. If he is not the only one at LR to congratulate the re-elected president, his zeal does not go unnoticed.
Can Damien Abad join Emmanuel Macron?
A few days later, Le Figaro reveals a meeting at the Elysée Palace 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”, assures his entourage to AFP. But the news, which falls in the middle of the LR strategic council, on April 26, casts 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 on April 26)
“This “ni-ni” does not suit me. I know how to tell the difference between Emmanuel Macron and the extremes”, then justifies Damien Abad, questioned about his abstention by Le Figaro. Since then, regularly questioned on the possibility of seeing him join the presidential majority, the deputy remains evasive. But if he were to decide to rally, Damien Abad should expect to lose his LR nomination. Because Christian Jacob, the president of the Republicans, said it and repeated: “There is no possible double political affiliation”. Posture relayed by Gilles Platret: “The line of the Republicans is clear: independence and therefore no entry into the presidential majority. Therefore, the president of the LR group in the Assembly, who is unfortunately not on this line, must clarify his situation. He would be honored to resign from his presidency”, wrote the vice-president of the party Les Républicains on Twitter, Tuesday, May 3.
A departure that could lead to others
What consequences would 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?” confides a party executive to the Figaro. An elected LR also says that Damien Abad would have “received a few elected officials in a small committee at the Assembly”, on Monday April 25. “How many felons?” asks this same elected official.
However, if Damien Abad decided to join Emmanuel Macron today, not only would he lose his LR nomination, but would he get one from LREM? Unlikely, unless there is a secret agreement with Emmanuel Macron’s party. The investitures of the presidential camp should be officially ratified by the end of the week.