The Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian, here on December 12, 2016 during the visit of the cyber center of excellence, during his trip around the theme of cyber defense. – C. Allain / APEI / 20 Minutes
- Former regional president Jean-Yves Le Drian invited the socialist and LREM lists to merge on the evening of the first round of regional in Brittany.
- The Minister believes that there is a real danger of seeing the National Rally in the lead.
- True to his convictions, Jean-Yves Le Drian treats the list of ecologist Claire Desmares-Poirrier.
Was it the recent poll that put the National Rally in the lead on the evening of the first round of regional elections in Brittany that prompted Jean-Yves Le Drian to speak out? We’ll never know. But after months of silence, the former regional president finally confided in the ballot which will take place on June 20 and 27. In an interview
granted to West France, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs did not want to give his preference between his successor Loïg Chesnais-Girard and the LREM candidate Thierry Burlot. But he urged them to come together on the evening of the first round. While currying the environmental candidate Claire Desmares-Poirrier, as usual.
We know his words are very much listened to. President of Brittany from 2004 to 2017, Jean-Yves Le Drian did not “dub” a candidate. One would expect it so much the former mayor of Lorient has friends in the two lists of the left and the center who claim to the victory. But he gave a very clear indication of the rally which will have to take place on the evening of the first round. “There is a real danger. I am alerting the Bretons to this danger which is before us and which is due, in large part, to the division of the majority that I have carried so far, ”said government minister Macron. Before clarifying. “Not to come together would be suicidal, for each of the lists and also for Brittany”.
“I bring my blessing if needed! “
One week before the first round, Jean-Yves Le Drian even already has his method to allow the two lists to agree. “Whoever wins in the first round takes the lead and we keep everyone’s sensibilities. You are indispensable to each other, get married! It is so easy. I bring my blessing if needed! », Slips the minister.
The former regional president recalls in passing that he is still at war with environmentalists, with whom he has always refused to ally when he worked in Brittany. And uses very raw words against the list led by Claire Desmares-Poirrier. “EELV is a red line”, he declares, estimating that the list develops “in particular in Brittany, an ideological ecology of stigmatization, guilt and accusation”, speaking of the same “sectarianism”.
In this interview, Le Drian urges the socialist Loïg Chesnais-Girard to “clarify his position”. And therefore to categorically refuse a merger of the two lists on the evening of the first round. The minister pleads for a union with the LREM list of Thierry Burlot. “Otherwise, the risk of seeing the RN win the election is there. They will have joint responsibility for it ”.
In decline, the presidential party had achieved excellent results in the legislative elections. But there is still a lack of local anchors. One week before the first round, the discussions will be tough internally between the heirs of Le Drian and those who want to turn the page. The National Rally must smile to play this role of arbiter.