From our special correspondent in Colombey
The idea of reuniting the Republican family in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises had been launched by the president of the Republicans.
Annie Genevard won her bet on Wednesday around the memory of General de Gaulle, who died fifty-two years earlier.
They are all there: the president of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, the three candidates for the presidency of the Republicans, Éric Ciotti, Bruno Retailleau and Aurélien Pradié, the president of the LR deputies, Olivier Marleix, the treasurer of the movement, Daniel Fasquelle… Only François -Xavier Bellamy, leader of the European deputies is retained in Brussels, but he supports the “
beautiful sign of unity
”.
Cultivating such an image while the LR party lives to the rhythm of a strong internal campaign is a challenge.
“
The exercise is not simple,
recognizes Daniel Fasquelle,
but it is essential.
“
We are providing proof to our activists that tomorrow our unit will hold
,” adds the mayor of Le Touquet.
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Leaving the small cemetery of Colombey, Gérard Larcher believes that the values of Gaullism are not only “
nostalgia
” but
“solutions”
for the future.
“
The image of unity that we present today is important, because it is around these values that we can find a path of trust with the country.
»
"Fundamental values"
“
Faith in man, fight for freedom, unity and peace, Christian and evangelical values…
” During the mass, Father Fusili hailed a political and spiritual heritage.
Same perception for Bruno Retailleau who wants to retain from Gaullism an image of
“grandeur, unity and historical continuity”.
"
At 5%, any division would be fatal to us
," warns the senator.
A little further, Éric Ciotti opposes the strength of the Gaullist message to the “
current political mediocrity
”, because, according to him, all the current crises call for “
Gaullian solutions
”.
Even Aurélien Pradié came to Haute-Marne to say that the "
relief of the right
" had to get down to "
modernize the great ideas of Gaullism
”.
Michel, a 77-year-old LR member, says he is reassured by seeing all these party figures gathered around a symbol.
He tries to take some photos of the candidates at the foot of the Cross of Lorraine, where we can read these words: “
In our time, the only quarrel that matters is that of man.
Michel wants to believe in the solidity of this beautiful image of unity.
“
It's proof that the General is a unifier!
So let's not focus too much on the details and agree on the core values.
»
