If the right did not know how to display its divisions, its eminent members in the Senate provide a perfect illustration.
Faced with the new second-round duel between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, the Republicans find themselves, as in 2017, eliminated in the first round, and therefore faced with a difficult choice: to "block" at all costs to the candidate of the RN ?
Or vote white?
Faced with these hypotheses, the two leaders of the right at the Luxembourg Palace have taken diametrically opposed positions.
Starting with the second character of the State, Gérard Larcher.
If he was not kind to the President of the Republic during his term, the elected representative of Yvelines explains his support for Emmanuel Macron, in a press release Monday evening.
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“
I will vote on April 24 Emmanuel Macron.
This choice corresponds to the values that I hold and to my background.
It is neither a quitus, nor a rallying
”, announces Gérard Larcher.
According to him, “
it is essential to maintain a living democracy in our country and therefore to preserve a republican opposition.
“While Valérie Pécresse collected only 4.78% of the votes in the first round, the president of the upper house insists: the Senate “
is independent and not aligned.
It is the only institutional counter-power and has not ceased to demonstrate it in this five-year term.
“A political slump for his camp that he finally urges”
to think, to innovate, and to rebuild in depth.
»
Read alsoGérard Larcher: "Macron is trying to step over the presidential election"
If he admits that “
everyone
” in the LR group “
will determine himself according to his convictions
”, he warns his troops: “
Only the interest of the country must condition our choices.
“A freedom that seems to have heard the leader of the Senators LR Bruno Retailleau.
In an interview with
Ouest-France
, the elected representative of Vendée made his difference heard:
“Obviously I will not vote for Marine Le Pen.
His election would lead to the acceleration of the decline of our country and would further divide the French among themselves.
Demagoguery is not an option.
But I do not forget that Emmanuel Macron is the main responsible for the scores of Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
To prevent the only possible alternative to the outgoing president being
"that of the extremes"
, Bruno Retailleau indicates that he will vote blank because
"the right is not soluble in macronism".
Pécresse-Ciotti, two strategies
Since Sunday evening, the right has been torn over its strategy in the face of the match between the president-candidate and the contender of the RN.
In order not to be caught in a pincer movement, the LRs tried on Monday to have a balancing act: not a voice for the nationalist candidate … without supporting the one who seeks his succession.
A line that differs from that of Valérie Pécresse who, during her defeat speech, called for a vote for Emmanuel Macron.
And that of Eric Ciotti.
The former LR Congress finalist clarified that he would not vote for the Elysée tenant, while not closing the door to a possible vote for Marine Le Pen.
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