“
Everything in its time.
“A few hours before the results of the first round of the presidency of the Republicans, the president LR of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, guest of the Grand Jury RTL-
Le Figaro
-LCI, does not want to go too fast.
While the activists are called upon to decide between Éric Ciotti, Aurélien Pradié and Bruno Retailleau, the priority is the "
refoundation
" of the party, to define the "
project
" that the right must submit to the French.
It is the end of a first part of the internal campaign, which Gérard Larcher first wished to salute.
According to him, this race has proven an essential aspect: the three candidates are “
on the same line: the independence of the Republicans
”.
With a National Assembly marked by a relative majority and an imposing Lepenist group, none of them indeed defended the idea of a "
coalition
" with the Macronists, or of a "
collusion
" with the National Rally .
.
Even the deputy of the Alpes-Maritimes, Éric Ciotti, who had confided to prefer to vote Eric Zemmour during a second presidential round against Emmanuel Macron, according to the elected official "
clarified things very clearly since
".
“
I know that if it was him, he would hold on
,” assured Gérard Larcher.
Before adding: “
In any case, personally, I will absolutely see to it.
»
"To ally is to dilute, to disappear"
Because for the president of the Upper House, “
we are very different from the National Rally
” and from Reconquête!.
“
LR is the heir of three great political families: liberal, Christian Democrat, Gaullist.
The RN is the heir of Jean-Marie Le Pen
”, he decided.
Also specifying not to "
share an ounce
" of the approach of Eric Zemmour, whose troops are organizing for the European elections.
“
Why constantly come back to a subject that we have been dealing with for a long time.
Have we ever been caught out of a rally with the National Front or the RN?
“, he even got annoyed.
From now on, the President of the Senate wishes to concentrate more on the “
challenge
” to come: “to
regain the confidence of the French, to tell them that there is another alternative
”.
To do this, we must above all not "
combine
", as Nicolas Sarkozy recommends, because that would amount to "
being diluted, disappearing, no longer having an identity
".
Conversely, it is a question of "
rebuilding a project from the territory
", where Les Républicains are still largely established.
“
Behind the brand, there must also be a product, and this product is what we have to rebuild.
»
The urgency is therefore not to designate a presidential candidate – contrary to what Éric Ciotti proposes by assuming his desire to see Laurent Wauquiez be officially invested.
But rather to ask the right questions: “
What project do we want for France?
What way to get there?
»
Read alsoPresidential 2027: Laurent Wauquiez's retroplanning
"
Laurent Wauquiez is someone who counts, he is a remarkable regional president
," said Gérard Larcher despite everything.
But “
I am not one of those who think that it is in 2023 that we must make the decision.
“He prefers that the choice be made”
at least two years before
“the ultimate deadline, and that it results from a consultation with the”
allies, in particular from the center
“.
“
It is the refoundation of LR that will decide
it,” he insisted.
And to encourage his colleagues, once again, to "
give yourself a little time, think, and not rush
".
