Now 4th or 5th in the polls, the LR candidate for the Elysee Palace, Valérie Pécresse, could have hoped for a boost from the last man that the right brought to the presidency of the republic in France. But it is quite the opposite. For several weeks, Nicolas Sarkozy has been distilling vitriolic comments in the press against the campaign of the candidate of his political family and he is reluctant to support her. And this weekend the former head of state could even come out of the woodwork to give his support… to Emmanuel Macron. Despite everything, Valérie Pécresse continues her campaign, she was Wednesday evening in a public meeting in Meaux, in the Paris region.
with our special correspondent in Meaux, Lucie Gimberg
” No obstacle will divert me from this campaign! “, spear Valerie Pécresse… The latest obstacle for Valérie Pécresse is the support, clear or implied, that Nicolas Sarkozy could give to Emmanuel Macron this weekend, if we are to believe the regional press.
At the podium, facing LR activists from Seine-et-Marne, the mayor of Meaux Jean-Francois Copeformer minister and old enemy of the former head of state, sweeps away the dark clouds that are gathering over the campaign of the right:
” We have to stop wondering who is supporting whom, stop whining about this or that who is rallying I don’t know who, stop wondering when the latest rumor is going to come out of such and such a newspaper… All that has no more species of importance! You have to go for it, ask yourself no more questions… make sure that Valérie is in the final with Emmanuel Macron because there, everything can change! »
In the stands, LR activists still believe in it, but they are disappointed with the silence of the last president of their camp: “ it has a little trouble displaying given the poor current performance but I find it completely abnormal », Regrets an activist.
“It’s lamentable what Sarko has done from the start,” says a figure from the right. If he dubs Macron, would this be the coup de grace for Valérie Pécresse? “There is so much nothing that catches in this campaign that no, assures support for the candidate. It can even serve Macron vis-à-vis his left wing, ”he still wants to believe.
► Also to listen : Can Sarkozy let go of Pécresse?
According to an IFOP-Fiducial poll dated March 16, Valérie Pécresse is credited with 11% of the vote, in fourth position after Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour.
► Read also : Campaign “minimum”, record abstention?
