The president of the LR delegation to the European Parliament, François-Xavier Bellamy, is participating this Tuesday in the party's strategic committee.
While few people still believe in a candidacy of François Baroin, the subject of the presidential election will be discussed.
Christian Jacob says that the subject of the presidential election must be postponed after the territorial elections in March.
Is he right ?
FRANÇOIS-XAVIER BELLAMY.
I agree with him that the question of the presidential election should not prevent us from focusing on the action to be taken today and the territorial elections.
On the other hand, it is very clear that we need to agree fairly quickly on how to prepare for the presidential election.
It is not a question of appointing a candidate within three months, but at least to agree before Christmas on a calendar, a method.
Not only to decide how to choose a candidate, but also, through that, to decide our line and speak with one voice.
The right cannot afford the luxury of another six months of contradiction and confusion.
I see the profound incomprehension aroused by the statements of Christian Estrosi when he says that we should join Emmanuel Macron.
For my part, I did not believe in macronism in 2017 and since then I see no reason to believe that the major problems facing our country are being solved by its government.
What designation process do you recommend?
I do not claim to have a solution to impose.
But I don't believe that the 2016 primary is responsible for the failure of our political family.
On the contrary, it allowed a real debate, and a massive participation.
If the right has lost the presidential election, it is for very different reasons, which everyone knows and which have nothing to do with the primary.
No doubt we need to revise the modalities, but what is indisputable is that we will not be able to avoid a fundamental debate on the line expected of us by those who hope for alternation.
How do you explain that Christian Jacob rejects this debate?
He said it: he thinks that the best solution is the emergence of a candidate who is naturally needed.
I understand his point of view.
I am not a fan of party issues either.
But if we do not adopt a transparent method of determining the candidates, without debate and without participation, we should be content to follow the polls?
On this account, it was Edouard Balladur who would have been President of the Republic in 1995.