The sentence does not pass. For François Bayrou, the exclusion by the Republic on the March (LREM) of the mayor of Lyon, Gérard Collomb, is nothing other than a " brutal and unfounded " decision. “ Gérard Collomb is grand mayor of Lyon. The last twenty years, he is a man who has made a huge contribution to his city and who still has something to contribute ”, he wanted to remind Tuesday on LCI about this historic macronist.
The former interior minister unveiled a surprise agreement concluded with the right on Thursday in the office of President Les Républicains (LR) of the region, Laurent Wauquiez. Gérard Collomb steps aside and supports the right-wing candidate for the presidency of the metropolis of Lyon, Senator LR François-Noël Buffet. In exchange, the right unplugged its municipal candidate, Étienne Blanc, in favor of Yann Cucherat, the colt of Gérard Collomb.
Read also: Municipal: in Lyon, Collomb turns to the right
An unexpected thunderclap that the LREM staff hastened to denounce. The number one of the presidential party, Stanislas Guérini, estimated that the city councilor of Lyon had " crossed the red line ", when others qualified his decision of " betrayal ". Consequence: LREM has withdrawn its nomination to Gérard Collomb as well as to Yann Cucherat.
" We are next to respect "
The mayor of Pau, an essential ally of the majority, therefore took the opportunity to set the record straight. " If Gérard Collomb had not been there with a few others to support the candidacy of Emmanuel Macron, probably those who exclude would not be there to do so, " he vilified. François Bayrou detects in this decision a treatment lacking in dignity. " We are beside the respect that we owe to men of value and to the principles of respect for life as close to the field as possible, " he regretted.
Moreover, the short-lived Minister of Justice judges François-Noël Buffet as " someone absolutely respectable " and sees " not subject to controversy " about this alliance. Bayrou reminds us that " the right is not second-class citizens " and that " local needs are local ".
Read also: From friendship to betrayal ... How the relationship between Macron and Collomb was torn apart
A historic ally of Emmanuel Macron with whom he talks regularly, the president of MoDem revealed that he had " every reason to think that Emmanuel Macron has not changed his mind on Gérard Collomb. " I even think that they continue to talk to each other (...) ", he affirmed, before concluding that " the bonds of loyalty " between the two men, very close at the start of the five-year term, " do not are not broken . "