“
Things are very clear.
If I lose, my political life will be over.
Obviously.
“Asked at the microphone of France Info this morning, Xavier Bertrand, the president of the Hauts-de-France region and presidential candidate announced that if he failed to be re-elected at the head of his region, he would give up in fact in the presidential election and following his political career.
"
I was elected in particular circumstances where the left withdrew because it did not want the victory of the National Front and I was therefore able to act in the region with total freedom and with this direct contact with the inhabitants.
If six years later I do not have their confidence, I cannot go and seek the confidence of 67 million French people,
”explained the president of Hauts-de-France.
Read also: Presidential 2022: Xavier Bertrand accelerates to crush the match
"
A meeting with the French
"
Asked about the timing of the announcement of his presidential candidacy - he declared himself a candidate on Wednesday March 24, in an interview with Point, while his region is very affected by the Covid-19 epidemic - the former Minister of Health replied that it was "
always a good time to tell the truth
".
“
I am ready (...).
Do you think I don't care?
Do you think it was my declaration of candidacy that accelerated the epidemic?
He replied.
Xavier Bertrand also returned to his desire not to go through a potential right-wing primary, which the boss of senators Les Républicains Bruno Retailleau wants.
The president of Hauts-de-France explained that he did not want "
any filter between (his) candidacy and the French people
".
If he admitted to having "
good relations with many officials
" of his former political party, he nevertheless believes that a "
presidential election is the meeting of a man or a woman with the French
".
“
I left my political training, it gave me freedom (...).
Today, a political party necessarily creates a distance between a candidate and the French people and I do not want there to be this distance.
I am a free and independent candidate
, ”he assured.
