A fourth man enters the battle*. Aurélien Pradié, the secretary general of the Republicans, formalized Monday in Le Figaro his candidacy for the presidency of the party. The deputy of Lot will be opposed to his colleague from the Alpes-Maritimes Eric Ciotti, to the senator of Vendée Bruno Retailleau and to the mayor of Orléans Serge Grouard. After the withdrawal of the big favorite Laurent Wauquiez, the match looks more open than expected. It is the LR members who will crown the new boss of the right, at the beginning of December, by an electronic vote. In the meantime, we are giving you the profiles of the suitors.
Eric Ciotti, on the right
“I’m on the right, I have the right in my heart, and that’s the message I want to convey”. The finalist in the right-wing primary for the 2022 presidential election is a continuation of his previous campaign at the end of last year. A very firm line on security and immigration, and a reduction in taxes “of at least 125 billion euros” over five years. “Our family is now threatened with extinction” and rather than “homeopathy”, we need “shock therapy”, he says. The deputy of the Alpes-Maritimes shows unfailing support for the very popular on the right Laurent Wauquiez, whom he intends to have nominated as of 2023 candidate for the presidential election.
Assets: With his outspokenness, Eric Ciotti says he wants to free the right from “political correctness”. His positioning and his verb are often in line with the expectations of the militant base, making him the favorite in the ballot. Significant point: its federation of the Alpes-Maritimes has again become the first in the country, with 3,500 members.
Weaknesses: Arriving at the top of the first round of the primary to everyone’s surprise, he was swept away in the second round against Valérie Pécresse. Its radicalism and its ideological proximity with Eric Zemmour (Reconquest!) could again frighten the more moderate wing of the party and give rise, once again, to an anti-Ciotti front.
Bruno Retailleau, healthy conservatism
“With the militants, I want to build this great right-wing, popular and patriotic party, which France lacks today”. The senator from Vendée, heir to the microparty of François Fillon Republican Force, has represented the conservative wing of LR for several years. He says he wants to “refound a new party”, but his line is not really different from that of Eric Ciotti. In particular, he defends a complete change in the education system and a referendum on immigration.
Assets: Faced with the radicalism of Eric Ciottio, Bruno Retailleau plays the gathering card. “Cliver is easy. But when you lead, there is often a lot more courage to muster than to oppose,” he told the Figaro. He has, by the way, garnered the support of Gérard Larcher, François-Xavier Bellamy and even Senator Stéphane Le Rudulier, yet a former spokesperson for Eric Ciotti during the primary.
Weaknesses : Often measured, the boss of the LR senators does not have the media aura of Eric Ciotti or Aurélien Pradié.
Aurélien Pradié, the great upset
“I want the right to talk about everything, about every concern of the French, and that it talks to everyone, from the humblest to the most favored”. Aurélien Pradié puts his two main opponents back to back, defending a “different” candidacy. “We are now in mortal danger”, insists the number 3 of the movement, who promises the big upheaval: “We must change everything: the name, the headquarters, our organization, our message”, he says, assuming “the break, including with Nicolas Sarkozy”.
Assets: At 36, the ambitious deputy for Lot embodies the revival of the right by defending themes that are not highlighted by his camp, such as ecology or violence against women.
Weaknesses: Even if he says he is “fully right-wing”, the elected official is often suspected in his own camp of being too left-wing, and out of step with the aspirations of activists.
Serge Grouard, or “the government agreement”
“I am the only one to carry this line in the face of the non-strategy of vagueness as in the face of a deadly right-wing”. Serge Grouard pleaded at the end of August for a “government agreement” with the presidential majority, in a speech where he defended his candidacy for the presidency of the Republicans. Former UMP then LR deputy from 2002 to 2015, internal opponent of Nicolas Sarkozy and support of François Fillon, Serge Grouard, 63, has been mayor of Orléans since 2001, with an interruption between 2015 and 2020.
Assets: Serge Grouard has the merit of being the only candidate to clearly defend an agreement with the presidential majority of Emmanuel Macron.
Weakness : Little known to the general public, the mayor of Orléans could struggle to convince the most critical activists of the action of the head of state
* The High Authority of the Republicans rejected the candidacy for the presidency of the party of Virginie Calmels, arguing that she was not up to date with her dues. A “maneuver”, according to the candidate, who threatens to take legal action.