Electric macronie atmosphere.
According to our information, on Wednesday evening, then Thursday morning, it was with the greatest astonishment that the president of the Renaissance group, Sylvain Maillard, discovered the two pieces of news, while looking at his cell phone.
On the screen, each time, a message, from Macronist deputies Bertrand Bouyx and Pierre Henriet, announcing that they are immediately leaving the party as well as the political group in the Assembly, support of the President of the Republic.
This, to join another component of the presidential majority, Horizons, a party created by former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe.
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A departure for
“essentially local reasons”
, according to our information.
Bertrand Bouyx is a deputy for Calvados, in the Normandy region, where Édouard Philippe is well established.
And Pierre Henriet is elected from Vendée, in the Pays de la Loire region, whose president, the former LR Christelle Morançais, announced a few days ago that she was also joining the party founded by the former prime minister.
Sylvain Maillard bangs his fist on the table
Two messages to which Sylvain Maillard responded immediately, suggesting that the two deputies meet quickly.
And to receive them in his office, individually, straight away.
“You are leaving, very good, here are all the advantages that you will no longer have”
, then explains in substance the president of the Renaissance group, evoking the presidencies of extra-parliamentary groups and other offices from which the two elected officials benefit.
Very tense exchanges.
“They're going to see what it's like to arrive in a group that only gets crumbs,”
says a bitter Macronist executive.
A final decision.
Weighed, matured and prepared for several weeks.
“The way this is happening is unacceptable.
We had a non-aggression agreement
,” regrets those around Sylvain Maillard.
The latter also opened up about it, in a message sent to Laurent Marcangelli, the president of the Horizons group, this Thursday.
“I have never done politics like that.
It would be a shame for all of us if our solidarity were tainted
,” wrote the boss of the Renaissance group, very upset.
One of his close friends quips:
“From the start, things have worked well with Horizons.
But from now on, if we have to show them that we are the biggest group, we will do it”
“Tomorrow we could attract many more”
On the Horizons side, the news was expected.
Tuesday, at a group meeting, Laurent Marcangelli had already announced to his troops that Betrand Bouyx would probably now be one of them.
This Thursday morning, in the Telegram instant messaging loop of the Philippe MPs, the boss of the Horizons group wrote:
“I am pleased to announce that Bertrand Bouyx and Pierre Henriet will now be at our side.
I'm really very happy about it.
Have a good week !"
.
News warmly welcomed by the other deputies of the group.
“We had two departures recently with Jean-Charles Larsonneur and Yannick Favennec, their arrival will balance things out
,” says one elected official.
In the entourage of President Laurent Marcangelli, it is specified that
“no canvassing”
was done to attract the two deputies.
“They came to meet us
,” we emphasize.
“Laurent Marcangelli will try to calm things down, but there are tones that he does not accept that we use when we address him
,” warns one of those close to the president of the group Horizons.
This other deputy wants to be even more scathing:
“If some thought that we were going to remain the nice little group and that the game is frozen, they are wrong.
When someone knocks on our door, we welcome them
.
Another adds, a bit provocatively:
“They need to be careful, we could attract a lot more of them tomorrow.”