In the North, tensions between the LRs have turned to the advantage of national authorities. The party has in fact finally nominated a candidate against Gérald Darmanin in his constituency of Tourcoing for the legislative elections of June 30 and July 7, a decision contested locally.
The Minister of the Interior, who was elected with 57.5% of the votes in 2022, ahead of an anti-speciesist Nupes candidate Leslie Mortreux, will face three right-wing and far-right candidates in the first round in the 10th constituency of the North .
The commission reframes the northern federation
Michèle Tabarot, president of the national nomination commission, confirmed Monday that LR had indeed nominated a candidate in the constituency of Gérald Darmanin, in the person of Jérôme Garcia. In a press release, the commission also recalls that “the investiture decisions (…) are their decision and not that of the federation presidents”.
The local party authorities in the North had initially indicated on Monday that this candidate, nominated in 2022 against Gérald Darmanin, was this time a dissident. Jérôme Garcia had accused on Sunday on X the minister, former LR, and the local leaders of the Republicans of having “negotiated to have no LR candidate facing Mr. Darmanin”.
According to the LR du Nord federation, a candidate had initially been nominated before giving up running, and Jérôme Garcia, who had launched a campaign despite local party authorities, was finally nominated. “I take note of the commission’s decision, but it is not my personal choice,” said the president of LR in the North, Antoine Sillani, believing, however, that the selected candidate is not loyal to his party. .
In addition to Jérôme Garcia, Gérald Darmanin will be opposed, as in 2022, to an RN candidate, the deputy departmental delegate Bastien Verbrugghe, and to a Reconquest candidate.
Two LR withdrawals in the North
Two other candidates initially invested by LR in the North, however, have given up running. One in the 11th constituency, where a candidate from the presidential majority will be opposed to the outgoing socialist deputy Roger Vicot, nominated by the New Popular Front. The other in the 13th, until then held by a Macronist deputy, where LR and the presidential majority have given way to a socialist mayor who is running against an RN candidate and a Rebel invested by the New Popular Front.
Finally, neither LR nor the presidential majority nor the New Popular Front presented a candidate against the outgoing Liot deputy Benjamin Saint Huile, ex-PS narrowly elected in 2022 against an RN candidate.