First Defections in Les Républicains Over RN Alliance
Les Républicains (LR) party is facing a major crisis as influential members are defecting due to party chief Éric Ciotti's stance on allying with the National Rally (RN). Vice-President Sophie Primas, General Budget Rapporteur Jean-François Husson, and LR Mayor of Charleville-Mézières Boris Ravignon have all announced their departure from the Gaullist party. This move follows Ciotti's advocacy for an electoral alliance with the far-right RN in the upcoming legislative elections.
Jean-François Husson took to social media to express his discontent, stating "An alliance with the RN in the legislative elections is of course without me! I am leaving Les Républicains and continuing the fight with the unanimous support of the group of Gérard Larcher (president of the Senate) and Bruno Retailleau (head of LR senators)." Sophie Primas also announced her reluctant departure on the same platform, calling for the right-wing to "rebuild itself". Boris Ravignon later declared the alliance decision "completely unacceptable" and also left the party.
Sophie Primas, who has been an elected official in the upper house since 2011 and previously chaired the Economic Affairs Committee, expressed her discomfort just before a meeting of the LR group. The group would later voice unanimous opposition to any agreement with the RN for early elections. Primas described the alliance as "an impassable red line" and called for "clarification" on the party's direction.
Jean-François Husson, a senator from Meurthe-et-Moselle, recently appeared as a strong opponent of the government's economic policies. He led a control mission to the Ministry of Economy to contextualize the parameters of budgetary deficit slippage. Following Ciotti’s support for an RN alliance, Husson has now decided to continue his political fight independently with the backing of Larcher and Retailleau.
The Fallout Within the Party
Éric Ciotti's leadership has previously caused a wave of departures and now seems to be leading to a second exodus. Barely hours after announcing the RN-LR coalition on TF1, members voiced their discontent. Senate vice-president Sophie Primas left immediately, followed closely by other elected officials showing their dissent.
Bruno Retailleau, president of the LR senators, condemned Ciotti's "disloyalty" in a powerful statement during a press conference. Following this sentiment, other party members like Jean-François Rapin from Pas-de-Calais threatened to resign if Ciotti remains president. Similar sentiments echoed from Pierre Bédier, president of the Yvelines department, who ended a political commitment spanning 48 years, citing fundamental disagreements with the new direction of LR. Additionally, Geoffroy Boulard, mayor of Paris's 17th arrondissement, has suspended his contributions to LR under Ciotti's leadership.
- The current turmoil within Les Républicains underlines deeper ideological fractures within the party. Critics of Éric Ciotti view his willingness to ally with the RN as a move that compromises the party's core principles, given RN's far-right stance. The situation is expected to intensify as more prominent members may consider defection or demand Ciotti's resignation.
- The scenario presents a tough challenge for the future cohesion of Les Républicains. The exodus of established leaders unsettles the party's stability, posing significant questions about its direction and strategy in the face of upcoming elections. Analysts suggest that a complete overhaul, including the formation of a new right-wing party, might be necessary to regain public trust and political relevance.
