“
If we had been aware of Valérie Pécresse's last illegal visit, we would not have let her go.
For a few days, these remarks by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliev, after the visit of the LR presidential candidate to Nagorno-Karabakh, have outraged the right.
From Athens, this weekend, the latter reacted strongly, denouncing the “
seriousness of this threat to a candidate (…) who would not be free to go where she wants
”.
This morning, on Europe 1, the president of the Île-de-France region returned to the subject, castigating the "
deafening silence of the government
".
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According to her, it is not normal that no member of the executive has yet taken the floor to denounce the words of the President of Azerbaijan: "
The government which does not defend a presidential candidate who went to the field and who is attacked, it's a scandal
", she complains.
The right calls for Macron's intervention
Sunday, in the JDD, a forum, co-signed by Damien Abad, François-Xavier Bellamy, Bruno Retailleau as well as the majority of deputies, senators and LR MEPs, was published. Addressing the President of the Republic, the elected officials are indignant at a declaration which, according to them, is worth "
a call to hatred against a French political leader
" and which constitutes "
a thinly veiled threat against our nation, its government and its representatives.
". “
We ask you to demand, in the name of France, a solemn apology from the Republic of Azerbaijan, but also to consider, if these are not formulated as soon as possible, a reminder from our ambassador . It is about French values as well as the honor of France
“, they claim.
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Relayed by many elected LRs, it has so far not aroused any reaction from Emmanuel Macron.
A silence widely denounced by Les Républicains.
“
Still no reaction from the President of the Republic, who must hear this unanimous call from our political family.
Azerbaijan's threats against Valérie Pécresse, because she reaffirmed our unwavering support for the Armenian people, require a firm reaction
”, for example, reprimanded Laurent Wauquiez, the president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, on Twitter.
Asked about this question on BFMTV / RMC this Monday, Christophe Castaner, the president of the LREM group in the National Assembly, indicated that "
Emmanuel Macron will systematically intervene when we threaten political figures
", as was the case with the president of the Ile-de-France region.
“
He does it systematically
,” he adds.
And to conclude: “
Valérie Pécresse made comments that irritated this country, she is completely free to do so
”.