Valérie Pécresse expected it, settling down against her six competitors in her position of outgoing president.
"I know it's going to be haro on Pécresse",
launched the leader (supported by Les Républicains, LR) of the Île-de-France region, shortly after the start of "La Grande Confrontation" organized on Monday by LCI,
Le Figaro
and RTL.
His prediction turned out to be correct.
Employment, ecology, transport: the former minister of Nicolas Sarkozy was very quickly set up as a target by his opponents, a few days before the regional elections of June 20 and 27.
To discover
Regional elections: discover all the lists, candidates and polls in your region
In this three-hour debate with national reach, punctuated by lively passes, discussions were first animated around regional aid to revive the economy.
Left-wing candidates regretted the low level of compensation requested, particularly in terms of employment, from large subsidized companies.
"Let's stop watering where it's wet,"
insisted the Green Julien Bayou.
To
"water the big bosses"
, bid Nathalie Arthaud, of Lutte Ouvrière.
The left have shown their preference: to promote
“the social and solidarity economy
”.
Blamed on all sides
Faced with this front, the Macronist deputy Laurent Saint-Martin (La République en Marche, LREM) flew in support of the outgoing president.
"It is Valérie Pécresse who is right: yes, we help all companies,"
he said, as a good defender of "whatever the cost" Macronist.
For her part, she was proud to have
"brought in new investors"
during her tenure and to have
"relocated 140 companies".
“
I knew Alice in Wonderland.
Now, we have Valérie in the Land of Canards!
», Launched the Insoumise Clémentine Autain.
To read also: Regional: in Île-de-France, Valérie Pécresse wants to win the mandate of "concretization"
It was then his promise of a
“transport revolution”
that Valérie Pécresse saw blamed on all sides. Question from Laurent Saint-Martin:
"Why don't you want to admit that (it) did not take place?"
.
"Leave me six years, and you will see"
, replied the leader of the right, all in her desire to
"double the transport network".
In its favor, the target was deported for a few moments on its two left competitors, Clémentine Autain and Audrey Pulvar (supported by the Socialist Party), when they defended the objective of free transport.
"An illusion,"
blamed the outgoing president.
"When it's free, it's always someone who pays,"
said the leader of the National Rally (RN), Jordan Bardella, and the Walker Laurent Saint-Martin.
On environmental issues, an LR-LREM-RN axis was also opposed to the lefts, described as partisans of a “
punitive”
ecology
.
Presidential stake
The stake of the poll goes beyond the regional framework for Valérie Pécresse: the ex-minister, candidate for the presidential election of 2022, reaffirmed that she would leave political life in the event of failure on June 20 and 27.
"The
Ile-de-France
residents must decide: stop or else"
, summarized Monday evening the president of Île-de-France, favorite in the polls and still given the winner in the second round, in all cases, by the latest Ifop study for
Le Figaro
and LCI published on Sunday.
Read also: Regional in Île-de-France: Laurent Saint-Martin nationalizes his campaign
Familiar with anti-Macron harangues at the national level, the ex-member of LR has however relatively spared his opponent Walker on the set.
She preferred to target Jordan Bardella, accusing him of not having voted certain regional measures in favor of security.
"Mr.
Bardella made the choice of insecurity ”
, she underlined, thus diverting the slogan of the vice-president of the RN, cantor of a
“ region which protects ”
, in particular vis-a-vis a
“ massive immigration
”.
To read also: Regional: Jordan Bardella calls on Ile-de-France residents "to choose safety"
Asked about their jump-off strategies, the left-wing leaders have made it clear that they will merge their lists. Less clear about his position vis-à-vis Valérie Pécresse, Walker Laurent Saint-Martin, for his part, promised to lead
his
“fight”
“to the end
”
.
"Regional right that deepens inequalities"
, dixit Clémentine Autain, against
"left with a decreasing vision"
, according to Valérie Pécresse: by portraying their opponents at the end of the debate, the candidates seemed to have already chosen them for the second round.
