In politics, you choose your family. And for now, Renaud Muselier, the president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, has decided to walk alone. After 35 years spent in the ranks of the right, from the RPR to LR via the UMP, Renaud Muselier slammed the door of the family home. On LCI this Wednesday morning, he justified his decision by questioning “the porosity with the extreme right” of his now ex-family, noting “irreconcilable mistakes”. With in the role of the annoying cousin of the dinners which one ends up not going any more, Eric Ciotti, candidate for the “primary” LR. A departure which however seems precipitated by the disgrace inflicted on him by Xavier Bertrand, also in the running to be the LR candidate for the presidential election, who publicly refused the support of Renaud Muselier after the latter denounced the “drift” of Eric Ciotti. Difficult in these conditions to stay at the table.
“I understand this decision of Renaud Muselier, which was not taken in a haphazard way”, reacted Pierre-Paul Léonelli (LR) the president of the group “Our region first”, majority in the regional council. Welcoming an “ethical decision”, Jean-Paul Léonelli assured the President of the Region of ” [la] loyalty and [l]’collective enthusiasm’ of his group. Between the lines, we also understand that the political sequence linked to the LR congress – which will designate their candidate for the presidential election at the very beginning of December – could seal its own political future. “There is a deviance within our political family (…) and an escalation. I dare to hope that the outcome of the congress does not betray our history, ”adds Michel Barnier.
“Renaud Muselier embodies the” historic channel RPR “,” considers François de Canson (LR), vice-president in charge of economic development in the region who “also fully understands” the decision of the one who “has always fought the FN”. For him, his departure from the LR is not likely to call into question the “plural majority” of the assembly, also made up of Walkers integrated from the first round of the regional election. But for now, the latter is focused on “the preparation of the presidential election with [s]we left ”.
“We knew very well that it was going to end like this”
Among those ousted from the regional ballot list in favor of the integration of Marchers, the announcement does not surprise more. “We knew very well that it was going to end like that”, explains Philippe Maurizot, elected LR of Fos-sur-Mer, dismissed in “a not very elegant way” from the list last spring. “The position, forgive the expression, of ‘ass between two chairs’ is the least comfortable.” However, in the LR ranks of the region, few let themselves go to immediately comment on the situation. Martine Vassal, the president of the department and LR departmental secretary, did not wish to react, as did Nicolas Isnard, or Marion Bareille or Ludovic Perney, deputy secretary general of the LR who did not respond to our requests.
In the ranks of those who have already taken the plunge, Jean-Pierre Serrus, in charge of transport and sustainable mobility, (ex-LR passed to LREM in January 2018) ensures “that the majority has set itself the rule of go beyond parties and stay in that spirit ”. He too left the LR because of “the antagonism on a subject as crucial as the Republican front”. Without a doubt, this question will continue in the months and weeks to come to shake up the LR family, in Paca as elsewhere.