in Reunion, Marine Le Pen and her party are gradually weaving their web

Marine Le Pen continues her trip to the island, while the far-right party now hopes to take the Regional Council from the left.

Marine Le Pen continues her trip to Reunion, an island on which the National Rally is trying to weave its web. The objective is to obtain municipalities and then deputies, in a territory which largely voted for the RN candidate in the second round of the presidential election. Franceinfo was able to see that the party is establishing itself and is gradually gaining support on the island.

Johnny Payet, the mayor of La Plaine-des-Palmistes, was the very first to take the plunge. “I am the first elected official to take the RN card”, he said. A long-time believer, it was only after being elected mayor that he clearly showed his colors. He believes he has opened the way: “Since I came forward, it is no longer taboo because I am in quite a few institutions. People have understood that the RN today is no longer the National Front. We today Today, we are much more to the right.”

Rallies for the RN on the island

Johnny Payet assures that he is not carrying out an active recruitment campaign. But he recorded the rallies of two right-wing figures: the leader of the opposition group in the Regional Council, but also the former deputy Jean-Luc Poudroux, who came from the Republicans. “It’s this Macron-compatibility that I couldn’t stand”he justifies himself.

Jean-Luc Poudroux was convinced to change parties by André Rougé, Marine Le Pen’s “Mr. Overseas”. “The National Rally occupies the niche that the RPR occupied in its time. And I speak about it wisely since I myself was the last parliamentary attaché to Michel Debré, deputy for Reunion. The RN occupies this patriotic, sovereignist niche “certifies André Rougé.

The party wants to steal the Regional Council from the left

The personality of Marine Le Pen also seduced Jean-Luc Poudroux. “When we are overseas, we say to ourselves that we are a little forgotten. With Jacques Chirac it was different, he loved overseas and I think Marine Le Pen also loves overseas”swears the former deputy.

Marine Le Pen was a success in the second round of the presidential election in 2022, benefiting from a postponement from Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s voters. In the last European elections, Jordan Bardella’s list was even in the lead. The party with the flame is now prioritizing local mandates and even imagines stealing the Regional Council from the left. “We will get there little step by little step, we have to be modest”, predicts Jean-Luc Poudroux. To achieve this, the former LR deputy is now campaigning for the National Rally.