A busy weekend.
Sunday evening, the day after a national council that looked like a grand oral, Michel Barnier, Xavier Bertrand, Éric Ciotti, Valérie Pécresse and Philippe Juvin gave the cover for a third televised debate, organized on CNews and Europe 1. The five candidates at the investiture of the Republicans for the presidential election discussed at length on questions of security and immigration, in a tone of unity and shared observations.
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Having carte blanche to start, each guest was able to talk about their first concern. Valérie Pécresse chose education, Michel Barnier wanted to insist on the need to govern with confidence and reassure viewers of his "energy". Philippe Juvin, for his part, made the wish to tackle subjects other than immigration and security.
"I do not want the right to be miniaturized"
, he proposed before Eric Ciotti chose "
the freedom to think
" by congratulating CNews, the inviting channel, for having "
broken the codes of political correctness in the media
" . Finally, Xavier Bertrand is committed to act on disability, a question of "
justice and solidarity
", according to him.
If we had used local elected officials, family doctors ... we would not have come to this
Valerie Pécresse
The chaotic situation in Guadeloupe, marked by demonstrations against the health pass, opened the first chapter of the program devoted to security. All the candidates shared the same approach of firmness in the face of events. Michel Barnier defended a position of “
authority and dialogue
”, Xavier Bertrand pleaded for a “
security
”
response
while wondering where were the resuscitation beds “
promised
” by Emmanuel Macron. Valérie Pécresse wanted to recall the action of her region to face hospital needs in Île-de-France, while also regretting a “
verticality that imposes everything from above
”. "
If we had used local elected officials, family doctors… we would not have come to this,
”she said.
For Eric Ciotti, the situation in Guadeloupe is comparable to what is happening in other neighborhoods where “
delinquents use pretexts to break and loot
”.
If the Minister of the Interior took the decision to send the Raid and the GIGN overseas, the deputy for the Alpes-Maritimes qualified these announcements as “
communication
”.
"Islamism has declared war on us"
Philippe Juvin, mayor and doctor, for his part considered that the situation on the island was "
the consequence of an abandonment in health matters
". "
What are we waiting for to open resuscitation beds?"
"Asked the head of the emergency department at the Pompidou hospital, before denouncing a"
very serious
"situation in metropolitan France where the hospital would not be able to cope with a resumption of the epidemic, according to him.
In terms of republican reconquest, Eric Ciotti is in favor of the mobilization of the military on the ground, on the model of Operation Sentinel. "
We are at war, Islamism has declared a war on us
", he insisted. Echoing this, Michel Barnier recalled his plan to deploy mobile units and allow municipal police to be armed. If Xavier Bertrand believes that the police and gendarmes do not need to be supported by the army, he believes on the other hand that these forces lack "
clear instructions
". For him, the important thing is "
the penal response
". The president of Île-de-France wants "
punching operations
», With the army in support.
Philippe Juvin explained how he had mobilized resources (animators, police, cameras, etc.).
“
We have to occupy the space,
” he stressed.
"I was behind Laurent Wauquiez and I held the same speech,"
reacted Eric Ciotti noting that the deaths victims of settling of scores had increased by 47% in one year.
When Michel Barnier spoke of sport as one of the weapons of the Republican reconquest, Eric Ciotti replied that sport could not be the answer to the 79 deaths of settling scores in France.
"
We agree,
" replied Michel Barnier.
Beyond the differences, the styles of the candidates became clearer and the debate turned out to be good
The guests were less in agreement when they were asked to react to the remarks of the president of the UDI Jean-Christophe Lagarde with regard to Eric Zemmour (a bullet in the head).
Xavier Bertrand and Philippe Juvin specified that the culprit had apologized, Michel Barnier denounced "
inexcusable
"
remarks
and Eric Ciotti castigated a "
call for murder
".
"
I am angry by the violence of the words and by the absence of legal proceedings,
" said the parliamentarian indignantly.
But beyond the differences, the styles of the candidates became clearer and the debate turned out to be good.
The tension has risen a notch because 150,000 members will put an end to this internal competition in ten days by entrusting a single mission to their winner: winning the presidential election.