“He presented his project to us: it is a project of denial and counterfeiting, my friends.” Valérie Pécresse surveys the platform of the Parnasse gymnasium, during a public meeting in Nîmes, Thursday March 17. Faced with her supporters, microphone in hand, the Republican candidate castigates Emmanuel Macron’s program, unveiled a few hours earlier. A “bad copy” of hers, according to her. “The original is not the copy and the real candidate of the courage to do is me”launches the president of the Ile-de-France region.
Emmanuel Macron presented his project to us: it is a project of denial and counterfeiting.
Denial on all subjects of a republican order and counterfeiting on pensions, nuclear power, agriculture, the RSA. Who can still believe it today? #Pecresse2022 pic.twitter.com/fcrvCfwBuR
— Valerie Pécresse (@vpecresse) March 17, 2022
An argument immediately taken up by his troops. “The only new ideas are borrowed from Valérie Pécresse”tackle on Twitter the boss of LR senators, Bruno Retailleau. “Is there counterfeiting? It’s obvious. He aligns himself with the positions that we had taken before him. But the real subject is that of credibility since he has does the opposite for five years”assures franceinfo Othman Nasrou, one of the spokespersons for Valérie Pécresse’s campaign.
Of which “positions” speak Valérie Pécresse and her supporters? The former minister of Nicolas Sarkozy cites several. Raising the legal retirement age to 65 would be one of them. Emmanuel Macron proposes “from summer 2022”, “the gradual raising of the legal retirement age to 65” while Valérie Pécresse talks about “gradual raising of the legal retirement age to 65 by 2030, taking into account hardship and long careers”.
On this point, it is clear that the outgoing president has changed his mind. He made the choice not to resume the pension reform abandoned under his five-year term. “Macroeconomic conditions are not the same and I am learning from what has not been understood”, he explained during his press conference on Thursday. Asked about the similarities of his program with Valérie Pécresse, the latter swept aside the criticism. “I don’t care royally, totally, presidentially”he replied.
“What matters is what works for the country, what is right, what makes us stronger, what allows French women and men to live better.”
Emmanuel Macronduring the presentation of his program
The president-candidate also defended “true differences” concerning this pension reform, without developing. On the other hand, he was more verbose on the reform of the RSA, another idea that he would have “copied” on Valerie Pécresse. The latter wishes to condition the RSA “at 15 hours of activity of general interest”. Emmanuel Macron promises “the obligation to devote 15 to 20 hours a week” to an activity facilitating professional integration. “I do not offer community service” corn “work, training, integration”, replied the president in the campaign. “It can be care, psychological support, it can be training”said Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of Transformation and Public Service.
Another subject denounced by the Pécresse camp: nuclear power. Candidate LR proposes the construction of six EPRs; Emmanuel Macron wants “pursue the construction of the first six new generation nuclear power plants”. “Valérie Pécresse had proposed it before him, he joined it. Emmanuel Macron had announced the closure of 14 power stations 3 years ago”, assures Othman Nasrou. “We were talking about nuclear long before her”, counter-attacks LREM deputy Roland Lescure. In reality, Emmanuel Macron’s position has evolved since 2017. The pro-nuclear turn at the end of his five-year term contrasts with his positions at the start of his term, as told The Obs.
But what is Valérie Pécresse’s strategy? For his supporters, it is a question of underlining the versatility of the president. “He changes his mind on subjects as major as the pension reform where he explained that the legal age should not be touched. What tells me that he is not going to change his position yet? ‘opinion ?” ironically Othman Nasrou. “Bullshit, replies Roland Lescure, Basically, it’s all a bit like schoolyard… The main thing is to do the right things.”
For political scientist and CNRS researcher Bruno Cautrès, Valérie Pécresse’s angle of attack is not necessarily the right one. The candidate appears “on the defensive”. “She has trouble imposing her themes and Emmanuel Macron presents proposals that may appeal to center-right voters”he analyzes.
“Valérie Pécresse’s main problem is putting ideas on the table rather than saying ‘he steals my ideas’. She is initiating a sham trial that does not take.”
Bruno Cautrès, political scientistat franceinfo
Emilien Houard-Vial, a doctoral student at the Center for European Studies and Comparative Politics, also doubts the effectiveness of the Republicans’ strategy. The latter takes the example of Nicolas Sarkozy who succeeded in winning in 2007 with certain ideas borrowed from the FN and who failed five years later to be re-elected. “In 2007, he faced a Jean-Marie Le Pen with a lot of pans and he showed his ability to govern as Minister of the Interior. But in 2012, he has a mixed record and it’s Marine Le Pen in front of him. At that time, voters prefer the original to the copy”he illustrates.
For the researcher, what makes the difference is the good position or not of the candidate, in the polls or public opinion. “However, Emmanuel Macron is better positioned than Valérie Pécresse. Will it shock voters that he steals ideas from candidate LR? Not sure.” Above all, he recalls, Emmanuel Macron has already implemented during his mandate measures taken by the right, in particular on the economic level.
The outgoing president has understood this well. He thus did not rule out appointing Valérie Pécresse in his next government in the event of re-election. “We must bring together all the sincere political leaders who share this project, whether they come from the right or the left”he said Thursday. “It’s a bit like the kiss of death”Judge Emilien Houard-Vial. “He stuck a knife in his back”, adds Bruno Cautrès. And for good reason: the far-right candidate, Eric Zemmour, who constantly emphasizes the similarities between Valérie Pécresse and Emmanuel Macron jumped at the chance.
The confession. The official confession.
Emmanuel Macron has just admitted that Valérie Pécresse was indeed the hidden candidate of macronism: at 8:02 p.m. on April 10, she will call to vote for Emmanuel Macron hoping for a position. pic.twitter.com/vc8X6Wnwgl
— Eric Zemmour (@ZemmourEric) March 17, 2022
Valérie Pécresse, who has been trying for weeks to get rid of the “Macron-compatible” label that some have stuck to her, was forced to react. “Me, President of the Republic, I will not take him as minister. His record is his ball and chain”, did she tackle. Not sure that’s enough. By deliberately going into his opponent’s territory, Emmanuel Macron wants to continue siphoning off votes from the center-right and the right. “I think he has locked, for the next three weeks, any hope of recovery, it’s well done on his part”concludes Emilien Houard-Vial.