the best regains colour, after its “unexpected blow” | EUROtoday

Tuesday, December 19 round 7 p.m., the best toasts. Four hours later, the National Assembly prepares to undertake the federal government’s immigration invoice. It is “ our text with 98% of our proposals »already rejoices Olivier Marleix, the leader of the deputies of the Les Républicains (LR) party, on cloud nine.

Coincidentally, a drink was planned between the current LR elected officials and their comrades from previous legislatures. Carried by euphoria, Eric Ciotti raises his glass in front of Laurent Wauquiez. The president of the party salutes that of Auvergne-Rhônes-Alpes whose region is expected to co-organize the Winter Olympic Games in 2030: “But before that, your Olympics, Laurent, will be in 2027 [avec l’élection présidentielle] and we will be behind you. » Still not officially launched in the race for the Elysée, its “champion” comes out of his silence to estimate in an interview with Figaropublished Thursday December 21, “that a hope has arisen on the right”.

It seems that euphoria is contagious. With a parliamentary group reduced to 62 members, the Republicans have made a majority kneel down and have to give in a lot in order to produce a text. Olivier Marleix is ​​jubilant. In the space of one evening, the president of the group, often presented as brittle and solitary, transformed into an enlightened strategist. From the “Macron-compatible” Alexandre Vincendet (Rhône) to Aurélien Pradié (Lot), chief rebel during the pension reform, all LR deputies – considered as “self-employed” for their propensity to free themselves from the instructions of their leaders – voted for the text and applauded Mr. Marleix after his speech from the podium of the National Assembly.

Party traumatized by the presidential election

A little Christmas miracle for the person concerned and a corner of blue sky for a party still traumatized by Valérie Pécresse’s 4.78% in the 2022 presidential election. In the group leader’s entourage, we are aware of having “achieved an unexpected blow” by first pushing LR elected officials to vote on the rejection motion defended by environmentalists, on December 11. The deputy for Alpes-Maritimes, Eric Pauget, wants to learn the right lessons from this sequence. “When the triptych party, group in the Assembly and the Senate act together, we become an essential formation. Now we have to capitalize on it. »

How ? For essentially the most anti-Macronists, proof has been on condition that solely intransigence works with the bulk. “You get extra by being in a resolute opposition than by coping with it, decide Pierre-Henri Dumont, LR deputy for Pas-de-Calais. This is what I and others stated from the beginning about pensions. » Like final winter, the leaders of the Republicans nonetheless held a sequence of conferences at Matignon to debate with Elisabeth Borne. But this time, Olivier Marleix instantly warned the Prime Minister. Immigration is simply too necessary a difficulty on the best to make any concessions.

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