Frédéric Valletoux, Horizons MP, “finds it healthy to discuss in a democracy”

“I think it’s healthy to want to discuss in a democracy”said Frédéric Valletoux, Minister Delegate for Health and Horizons MP for Seine-et-Marne, on France Inter on Saturday 13 July, regarding a dinner organised between the leader of his party Édouard Philippe and Marine Le Pen. Following the press revelations, the former Prime Minister confirmed on Tuesday that he had dined with the former RN presidential candidate, which earned him much criticism from the left, but also from certain personalities on the right and the centre.

Frédéric Valletoux claims that Édouard Philippe was right “of wanting to discuss with Marine Le Pen as he discusses with everyone, as he discussed with Jean-Luc Mélenchon”. The Horizons representative does not, however, give his opinion on “the form” of this discussion, specifying that he “does not know if Edouard Philippe was to dine with Marine Le Pen”. But Frédéric Valletoux considers it normal, “when we aim for the supreme magistracy and presidential competitions”to conduct such discussions with a personality “who has twice had a second round” in the presidential election.

He therefore does not denounce these “discussions between officials whose ideas we do not share, but who are important political players”. “It is normal to want to understand what they have in their belly, in a more private setting than a television studio or parliamentary platform”he adds.