Valérie Hayer, head of Renaissance’s list for the 2024 European elections, raises questions in her own camp

Emmanuel Macron’s party has formalized the candidacy of the 38-year-old MEP, unknown to the general public. An almost impossible mission?

Even pure Macronists still hesitate about the pronunciation of his name. Renaissance MEP Valérie Hayer has formalized her designation as head of the majority list in the European elections, putting an end to a long wait in the head of state’s camp. But his anonymity from the general public to lead the Renew group to the European Parliament in the European elections on June 9 raises questions, particularly within his own team.

It is “a choice of credibility and effectiveness“, defends the former Minister of Transport Clément Beaune, on franceinfo Friday March 1. Before slipping: “We will discover it“Of course it’s not.”someone not known to everyone, but” who has “substance and commitment“.

“Notoriety close to sea level, it starts from zero“, grumbles, for his part, an advisor. On Valérie Hayer’s business card, the label of outgoing MEP, daughter and granddaughter of farmers, and specialist in budgetary issues, leaves some wondering: “She doesn’t know how to box, but she knows Europe well“, summarizes a Renaissance elected official.

“Totem of immunity”

First trip Friday March 1st to Laval, then a first meeting: here she is thrown into the deep end. But the “European” mission promises to be difficult for the president of the “Renew” group in the European Parliament: polls already show her to be at least ten points behind, far behind Jordan Bardella and the National Rally. Some admit to an ulterior motive: that Jordan Bardella does not dare attack him too violently. “A woman is a totem of immunity“, says a deputy.

Without being close to the President of the Republic, at almost 38 years old, Valérie Hayer embodies this renewal of faces so praised by the Elysée, but nevertheless remains part of the “Macron generation”. The Head of State also had difficulty resolving to choose a second knife, we slip: the refusals of Bruno Le Maire and former ministers Julien Denormandie or Jean-Yves Le Drian attest to this. A faithful consoles himself: “Fortunately, our real head of the list is Macron.“