Michel Barnier is a loyal Republican. He says it, he repeats it, he even makes a campaign argument against two favorites of the race for the LR nomination, Xavier Bertrand and Valérie Pécresse. They left the party after the failure of 2017, he never. “I have always been faithful to my political family, which I have never left,” he told the Figaro August 26. And it’s true, the former European commissioner, popular among militants for this loyalty, has never slammed the door …
But we can consider that he went out the window. In the file of LR members as of December 31, 2019, that France Info has consulted and revealed, the candidate is indicated as not being up to date. In fact, he had not re-enrolled since June 2018! His entourage, who indicates that Michel Barnier re-joined in 2020, insists on “his loyalty” and the fact that he never said “on the 8 pm TV news that he was leaving his political family! “. The party also kicks in touch, emphasizing the current rally.
So, why such cries of frustration for a simple late payment? And why this non-reaccession. An executive from LREM, contacted by France Info, has an idea. “In the Europeans, he was ready to join us and he was very greedy. He even wanted to be the head of the En Marche! List. The entourage of the one who was then the European commissioner in charge of the Brexit negotiations formally denies.
The argument holds true, however. “He would have liked to be Macron’s candidate for the presidency of the European Commission”, supports the LREM executive. Unsuccessful by the majority, Michel Barnier belatedly supported the LR list led by François-Xavier Bellamy in the European elections. More out of spite than out of support?