Last week, Marine Le Pen created a little surprise among observers by claiming loud and clear, during her vows to the press, the opening of the "pre-presidential campaign". It is to "not allow a kidnapping of the presidential to take hold", as he says, that Nicolas Dupont-Aignan also took advantage of his wishes on Monday to propose the establishment of a major primary in the camp "Republican and Patriot" opponents of Emmanuel Macron. A proposal he wanted to make in April, but that the calendar of the president of the RN pushed him to anticipate, even if it means leaving very early in the battle.
"The only repetition of the 2017 duel, as a kind of Coué method, would only favor the re-election of Emmanuel Macron", is alarmed by the president of Debout la France (DLF), who had joined Marine Le Pen in between the two rounds of the last presidential election. “No one can win alone. Neither me nor the others, for that matter, "insists the man who takes the opportunity to declare himself a candidate for this hypothetical primary. “You have to open the windows. Otherwise, it will smell musty! "Proclaims Dupont-Aignan again. Marine Le Pen, with whom he is to have lunch tomorrow, will appreciate.
Formerly a fervent critic of the primary
In addition to the president of the RN, the deputy of Essonne invites the sovereignists Florian Philippot and François Asselineau, the Republicans Julien Aubert, Guillaume Larrivé and Bruno Retailleau or even personalities of the civil society like the polemicist Eric Zemmour, the general Pierre de Villiers and journalist Natacha Polony to participate. "Who can refuse the approach I propose? There is no situation rent, ”pretended to wonder Dupont-Aignan. A way to put pressure on Marine Le Pen who, if refused, "would take responsibility".
Gaullist claimed, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan has always been a fervent opponent of the primary. "I have been opposed to it for a long time," he concedes. But the first rounds (Editor's note: presidential) no longer exist, they are emptied of their substances "because, according to him, certain candidates are privileged" by the media and the oligarchy ". Yesterday, "democratic masquerade", the primary would now be "the instrument of appeal of the people".
A call that finds little favorable response
But at RN, you don't hear that. “Dupont-Aignan takes out of his hat an idea to which he has always been opposed. The presidential, it is a man or a woman in front of the people, one is not in the United States, reacts Philippe Olivier, the special adviser of Marine Le Pen. Which adds: “the primary has already taken place, it was the Europeans! The DLF list had barely obtained 3.51% of the votes there.
"I agree for a primary, but around a shared objective: that of Frexit", reacts for his part François Asselineau, the president of the Popular Republican Union (UPR). For the sovereignist, Dupont-Aignan's proposal is "very premature" and its objective "not clear". Only Florian Philippot responds positively. "I had the same idea a few months ago," says the president of the Patriots. This primary would not only be a casting but an opportunity to clarify a line. Even if Marine Le Pen refuses to participate, what seems already acquired? " Why not? replies his former lieutenant. We die not talking to each other. "