The Louhans Pentecost market (Saône-et-Loire), known for its Bresse poultry, has the reputation of being one of the largest in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
Crowned with a temporarily mild sky, this is the place that Julien Odoul, head of the RN regional list, chose this Monday to flood the compact crowd with his pocket-sized leaflets.
Next to a smiling Marine Le Pen, he poses straight as an i, proud as a rooster.
At 36, this is the first time that this RN soldier has been at the top of the bill. And that the polls let him ogle a possible success. Why this year more than in 2015, where the FN had failed at a few points? " Many things have changed. Marine Le Pen was not in an alternative position in power, as today with Emmanuel Macron, ”argues the candidate who will be supported this Tuesday by the president of the RN in person. "The regional will be a national test, an opportunity for people to cry out their anger," he believes. Here as elsewhere, the RN hopes to ride on a “pre-presidential” wave, much more than on transport, the management of high schools or economic development, regional competences.
Odoul, like his RN colleagues, is a safety baton.
Not the home of the region?
"It's a question of political will," he argues, citing the possibility of subsidizing the development of video protection.
Another strong focus: the promotion of "localism", the ecological identity doctrine of the RN, which, available at the regional level, promotes local food and know-how (distribution of biscuits and pens made in the area with the Odoul logo in support).
"A zealous speaker of RN themes, but he never managed anything"
He and his little troop walk slowly through the cobbled alleys of the crowded little center. The caravan stops and starts again, to distribute leaflets and courtesies. There are the few enthusiasts who mark the stop all smiles to share a word; the faces that close and draw a firm no. An activist precedes the group and distributes "this is Marine's candidate" to the curious raising an eyebrow. The candidate is not really known. " Him ? No I do not know him. I vote for her! », Balances a retiree, leaflet in hand, designating the president of the RN.
Not yet known, Julien Odoul is in any case subscribed to the controversies.
As when in October 2019, he takes part, in full regional council, a veiled mother accompanying a school trip, causing the embarrassment of Marine Le Pen, who publicly disavows him.
Odoul is not always appreciated at the RN, which he joined in 2014, after a stint at the UDI.
In the meantime, he is gaining audience, and has his napkin ring on CNews, a channel that has become the favorite of the nationalist right.
He recognizes "errors" but claims "freedom of speech".
Read alsoRegional: facing the RN, the Republicans are tearing each other
"He is a zealous speaker of RN themes, but he never managed anything," tackle Jérôme Durain, PS senator and candidate for regional in the department, crossed on the market. "They distribute pens and cakes, we have a program," tackles the running mate of Marie-Guite Dufay, president (PS) of the region and candidate (in bad shape) for his succession. Same seasoning at Gilles Platret, mayor (LR) of Chalon-sur-Saône and head of the regional list: "He only made 13% in his city in the municipal elections
(Editor's note: in Sens)
and he claims to have the kidneys to lead a region ! "
Many recognize, however, that the RN is very present on the ground. Polls give it around 30%, where its competitors LREM, PS, LR are scarce in a pocket handkerchief below the twenty-point mark. It remains to be seen what the game of alliances between two turns will look like. And if his challengers will not leave too much feathers there to go and find Odoul.
