Head of the Republican list for the European elections, François-Xavier Bellamy defends with his program the idea of a liberal Europe which must control its borders. It slips in passing measures supposed to combine economics and ecology.
François-Xavier Bellamy is, for the second time, the head of the Republican party list in the European elections. The MEP is not a favorite in the poll results, any more than in 2019 when he failed to obtain more than 10% of the votes, but he demonstrates his mastery of European subjects and institutions and above all ensures that his party will sit in the first group of the European Parliament after the vote. The Republicans are affiliated with the European People’s Party (EPP) which is effectively the leading force in the hemicycle and which is likely to remain so according to projections based on the results of polls in the European elections. An argument that makes François-Xavier Bellamy say in West France that the only “useful vote” on June 9 will be for the Republicans.
A “useful vote”, but a vote for what ideas? François-Xavier Bellamy defends a right-wing program and personally holds ideas that are sometimes more conservative than other members of his party. With his list named “the right to make the voice of the French heard in Europe”, the candidate campaigns for a liberal Europe which “assumes its borders” defends “its interests in the world”. The program is therefore based on two pillars: control of immigration and the sovereignty of Europe.
The main axes of François-Xavier Bellamy’s program
François Xavier Bellamy presented his program for the European elections in mid-May, but the main lines of the latter were outlined in preview in the Figaro. Two main axes emerge from the project: a component on immigration and another broader one which aims to reconnect with the sovereignty of Europe on several levels, including the economy and defense.
On the migration aspect, the Republicans remain faithful to their guideline and plead for better control of Europe’s external borders and a strengthening of the Frontex agency. They also want to ensure better cooperation with countries of origin and third countries involved in the migratory flow and want to make this a condition for welcoming migrants. The right is also considering maintaining a “safeguard clause” in the name of which each country could reestablish controls at its own borders in the event of an emergency.
Regarding European sovereignty, François-Xavier Bellamy sees the broad picture and believes that “the European Union must profoundly change” to become strong again. According to the right, this change must involve an end to regulations deemed abusive and more investment in progress. “We must rely on progress and not on the norm” insisted Emmanuelle Mignon, the architect of the program, to the Figaro. On the economic plan, François-Xavier Bellamy proposes in his program the implementation of a “Made in Europe 2030” plan to promote local products. In the same vein, the right says it wants to refuse any new free trade agreement which would lead to unfair competition or not contain mirror clauses. Reconquering European sovereignty also involves defense of the territory. The Republicans therefore wish to force all member countries to allocate 3% of their GDP to NATO and allocate more resources to the EU so that it becomes a European pillar of NATO.
The Republican program also includes a section dedicated to the environment and the fight against climate change which plans, among other things, to tax foreign products that do not comply with European environmental standards as well as states that use coal-fired power plants or resort to landfilling waste. The right also wants to finance the construction of nuclear power plants and promote the hydrogen sector to obtain more carbon-free energy. One of the “flagship” measures of the program is included in this section, indicated the head of the LR list to West France : it consists of “liberating the economy by taxing carbon imported into Europe. […] Europe can thus use its market as a lever to regain prosperity, increase income in our countries, and contribute to resolving the climate crisis.”
The profession of faith of François-Xavier Bellamy
Candidates for the European elections summarize the main measures of their program in professions of faith which are sent to voters throughout France with the European elections. François-Xavier Bellamy believes in his opinion that it is “time to act” for Europe and that “we have everything to succeed” in overcoming current challenges provided we make the right choice, implying voting for him . The LR candidate points out the “political failure” of the measures carried out by Emmanuel Macron and the lack of work of the National Rally which won the last European elections but “obtained nothing for the French”.
Jordan Bardella’s profession of faith is available in full on the Ministry of the Interior website. The program is informed on the Republicans website.