Marlène Schiappa, Minister Delegate for Citizenship in front of a metro station in Paris on April 15, 2021. – CELINE BREGAND / SIPA
- Marlène Schiappa, Minister responsible for Citizenship, will head the list of the presidential majority in Paris for the regional elections in Île-de-France, La République en Marche announced on Tuesday.
- LREM highlights its expertise on the themes of security and secularism, two areas on which the marchers want to be offensive to put the left and the right in difficulty.
- Despite her failure in the municipal elections in the capital in 2020, the very media member of the government also brings her notoriety to the regional campaign of LREM.
It is the surprise guest of the regional side of the walkers. Marlène Schiappa will lead the list of La République en Marche in Paris. After having ruled out this possibility last January,
in an interview with Figaro, the Minister Delegate for Citizenship on Tuesday formalized her candidacy for the ballot of June 20 and 27, under the colors of the presidential majority. A casting that would have been validated by the Elysee and Matignon, according to Le Figaro. Less than a year from the presidential election, Emmanuel Macron wishes to be more offensive on issues of security and secularism.
The notoriety asset
Very media-oriented, the minister brings her notoriety to an LREM list in need of recognition. According to a BVA survey for RTL published on March 29, only 18% of voters in Ile-de-France knew, at least by name, Laurent Saint-Martin, LREM deputy and head of the regional list in Ile-de-France. The budget rapporteur for the Assembly is clearly behind the headliners Valérie Pécresse (Libres!), Jordan Bardella (vice-president of the RN), Audrey Pulvar (various left), Clémentine Autain (France rebellious) and Julien Bayou (EELV).
“I have a lower reputation than my competitors in this campaign, I am aware of it”, admitted the person concerned Tuesday, during a press conference organized in the capital. But “it is not notoriety that makes the election! Marlène Schiappa is not at the top of the list in Paris because she is known, she is known for her expertise on citizenship, on equality between women and men and on security issues, especially in transport. , which will be essential during this campaign, ”continued Laurent Saint-Martin. The surprise appointment of the minister has in any case reacted to the vice-president of the Republicans, Agnès Evren, who lambasted on Twitter the “candidacy of testimony” of a politician without “local involvement”
Talking about security, an issue popular with voters
Always after Le Figaro, the minister wants to campaign on secularism and security, two subjects which do not, however, fall within the competence of the regional executives. But security is the most important issue of this election for voters in Ile-de-France, according to
a survey commissioned in January by LREM from OpinionWay. “These are two priority themes for Ile-de-France residents, in particular daily safety, in transport and around high schools, two areas on which the region can act”, confirms Aurore Bergé to 20 minutes.
The deputy LREM, head of the list in the Yvelines, also praises the choice of the minister, “giving credibility” to the list on this theme. “Marlène is extremely legitimate on security, as Minister Delegate for the Interior, and also because transport security is linked to the issue of women, to harassment, a theme on which she has expertise” , continues the walker.
Embodying secularism in the LREM version for 2022
As for secularism, this is a subject on which Marlène Schiappa has already had the opportunity to scrape with her regional opponents. During the case on the subsidy of a future mosque in Strasbourg, the minister had torpedoed at the end of March “irresponsibility on the part of EELV” and affirmed that “in fact, there is a complicity [des écologistes] with political Islam ”. The minister had also fired red balls on Audrey Pulvar after her comments on single-sex meetings. “Pulvar is following indigenous ideas,” Marlène Schiappa had tackled with regard to the head of the various left list,
always at the end of March.
The involvement of this minister in secularism (she launched on April 20 “States General” on this theme) is therefore not trivial, less than a year before the presidential election. “It is a political issue, and it is precious to have a candidate capable of clearly asserting our position on secularism,” said Aurore Bergé. “The three candidates of the left have ambiguities on this subject, even disagreements with us. As for Valérie Pécresse, perhaps worried about the future score of the RN, she made dangerous shortcuts between immigration and terrorism, ”tackles the MP for Yvelines.
Among the walkers, his arrival, criticized by some, seems to be welcomed. “She has a hell of a fan-club, and she is very fighter”, greets Olivier Ponsoye, referent LREM Paris center. “It can help create surprise during this election, and show that the majority has a lot to say one year before the presidential election. The bet is risky, however. In the municipal elections, Marlène Schiappa was present on the LREM list in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, which finished fourth in the second round, with 8.6%, getting no seat. In the latest opinion polls, the LREM list is credited with 11 to 16% of the votes in the first round, far behind the outgoing Valérie Pécresse.