It is now confirmed.
Former Sarkozy Minister Thierry Mariani, now RN MEP, confirmed Thursday that he would wear the colors of the national rally for the regional elections in June in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA).
"
I decided, after having thought long and hard about being a candidate,
"
the former Minister of Transport
announced in an interview with the daily
La Provence
, saying that he had wondered in particular about "
the big responsibility
" that this implies.
“
I'm going because I think I'll take it on,
” he says.
To read also: Regional in Paca: Mariani (RN) given the winner against Muselier if LR and LREM do not merge
Polls put him in the lead in the first round
The name of Thierry Mariani, 62, had been circulating for several months to take the head of the RN list in PACA, where several polling institutes placed him at the top of the first round.
However, according to these studies, he would be preceded in the second round by his former friend, Renaud Muselier, outgoing LR president of PACA who must soon formalize his candidacy.
"The campaign will be firm but very correct"
Thierry Mariani, RN candidate in PACA
Asked about this competition with Renaud Muselier, who succeeded LR Christian Estrosi at the head of the Regional Assembly after the latter's re-election in Nice, Thierry Mariani considered that the two men were now his “
competitors, not (his) enemies
”.
Thierry Mariani himself led the UMP list in the region in 2010.
Read also: Regional: internal guerrilla warfare among environmentalists in Paca
With Muselier “
the campaign will be firm but very correct, personally.
We like each other but we will try to win the match, our courses have evolved,
”he notes.
Marine Le Pen's economic program "
increasingly realistic
"
Defending himself of having "
started a career as a weather vane at the age of 60
", after 42 years in the RPR, which became UMP then LR, he says he reproaches his former party for having become "
a cartel of elected officials
"
,
a "
prayer wheel Tibetan
”
with
“
the same broken record for twenty years
”.
"
I joined Marine Le Pen in 2019 because they are in full swing
", justifies the MEP, who says to present himself "
with the friendly support
" of the president of the RN with whom he is "
100% of agreement on sovereign matters (immigration, security, justice, Europe)
”.
"
I had differences on the economic plan but his program is refined
", it is "
more and more realistic
", he says.
An alliance between LR and LREM?
Asked about the outstretched hand of Christophe Castaner, boss of LREM deputies, refused in the first round by Muselier, Mariani quipped: “
Everyone has understood that they will get along (with LREM).
Their problem is how to get closer without getting caught by the voters
”.
Read also: The world of culture in Paca fears a victory for the RN at the regional
As for the left, looking for a union agreement in PACA, Thierry Mariani said he wanted "
to make a single list
" and participate if necessary in a triangular in the second round.
“
At least it will be clear.
It is normal that there is a sensitivity of the left to the Region, especially since it has taken over cities like Marseille,
”judges the elected representative for whom“
the Republican Front is no longer credible
”.
SEE ALSO -
Republican Front facing the RN: "The question will arise in the Paca region", notes Patrick Mignola
