Thursday evening, Robert Ménard (various right), guest of the program devoted to the war in Ukraine, on France 2, did not hide his exasperation with the culture deemed pro-Russian in his political camp, despite the condemnations of the military intervention of Marine Le Pen (RN) and Eric Zemmour (various right). “By dint of adding, every day, a point of divergence, I wonder”, if they are “friends”, lamented the mayor of Béziers (Hérault), and founder of Reporters without borders.
20 minutes asked Robert Ménard this Friday if this stumbling block could keep him away from Marine Le Pen, whom he supports, and Eric Zemmour.
Does the culture considered pro-Russian of the presidential candidates of your political current annoy you?
It’s not for nothing that I’m not in a party, or a fan club. I have a friendship for Marine Le Pen, I agree with her on what she says, roughly speaking, on questions of security or immigration. I find her more calm, more acceptable, more realistic than Eric Zemmour on these questions. But on what is happening in Ukraine, neither of them dares to say that Mr. [Vladimir] Putin is a dictator. You have to call things by their names. Before my passage on France 2, Thursday, I was with Marine Le Pen, to tell her my disagreements. I have spent my whole life defending human rights [avec Reporters sans frontières], it is not passed today in the losses and profits. When you see how war opponents have been treated in Moscow and elsewhere, I will never close my eyes. I’m close to each other, but I don’t owe anyone anything, so I can say exactly what I’m thinking.
Where do you think this fascination for Russia and for Putin from the right, the right or the far right comes from?
There has always been humus, a fascination with authoritarian regimes. For a guy who rolls mechanics. There is an anti-Americanism, which grows in the arms of the Russians.
Could this alienate you from your political camp?
To say it’s easy going, I’d be lying to you. But I see politics as compromises. What I blame Eric for [Zemmour]it is his ideological side.
And Marine Le Pen?
Often, Marine Le Pen can be annoyed by my positions. Because I have other disagreements with her than that. But I keep saying that I will vote for her. Today, for my country, it is useful, because among the priority issues, there is security and immigration.
We have the impression that you have changed, that you want to show a more peaceful speech, for a few months. There are subjects that you no longer address.
You are right. I have no trouble saying I’m wrong. This is an essential difference with the political class. Yes, there are things I did six or seven years ago that I won’t do again today. I don’t want to hurt people. I realized that ideas, handled in their aridity, with all the angles they can have, can hurt people. And the world is quite difficult, I don’t want to hurt people, moreover.