In the middle of the European campaign, LR reflects and speculates on its future, forcing François-Xavier Bellamy to defend himself from a hypothetical future alliance with the macronie.
Published
Update
Reading time: 3 min
“This political crisis will not be resolved by a coalition between the right and Emmanuel Macron, never !”, insists François-Xavier Bellamy, Sunday June 2 on BFM. The right does not make it easy for its head of the list. While LR should have only one objective these days – to score well in the European elections after the catastrophic presidential election of 2022 – after June 9 is already stirring minds, around a possible coalition between Emmanuel Macron and a Prime Minister LR.
Not everyone at LR would be up for it. Far from it. There are 50 shades of right, from the most resolute opponents to those who would see a coalition as a way for LR to get back in the saddle. Thus Laurent Wauquiez, who is aiming for the 2027 presidential election, is hostile to any coalition, but Gérard Larcher does not really silence the speculation. As for Éric Ciotti, he poses as an opponent of macronie but does not say “never in life”. “I can’t figure out what he’s thinking.” admits an LR leader. Another slips: “I’m not saying that the possibility of being interior minister doesn’t give Ciotti a slight thrill, but he knows it’s impossible.”referring all of this to “rumors” powered by the “sarkozystes”.
At the same time, LR threatens a motion of censure, which makes the story all the less understandable. Except for those who would like to overthrow the government – in the fall – on budgetary issues, just to force Emmanuel Macron to hand over the keys to the right. “Before the fall, nothing will happen”, therefore predicts an LR leader. But overall, all this causes skepticism on the right: firstly because few people imagine Emmanuel Macron inflicting a coalition on himself, and secondly because the LR deputies do not obey as one man. The majority would therefore not be assured.
In the eyes of some Macronists, a coalition would perhaps make it possible to find some oxygen, but others are warning of the risk of losing deputies from the left wing in the process. The fear of a “coup for nothing” exists. And this government heavyweight puts forward another anti-coalition argument: “If we make less than 20% in the European elections and LR makes 7%, an alliance of cripples is unthinkable, the French would see it as an arm of honor”.