The name of the president of the Renew group in the European Parliament emerged after weeks of hesitation. A default choice for some, while others praise the seriousness of the future candidate of the majority.
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A “very good choice” or a decision “by default” ? The presidential majority officially designates, Thursday February 29, its head of list to lead the campaign for the European elections, scheduled in France for June 9. While most of the other parties have designated their head of list for several weeks, the presidential camp finally chose theMEP Valérie Hayer, according to information from franceinfo. She will have a lot to do to catch up with Renaissance, which is 5 to 10 points behind the National Rally according to the polls.
Before choosing Valérie Hayer, the Elysée considered several better-known profiles, such as the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian or the former Minister of Agriculture Julien Denormandie. Both declined. Stéphane Séjourné, head of the Renew group in the European Parliament, once anticipated, was knocked out of the game upon his appointment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the beginning of January. It was ultimately the 37-year-old MEP, twelfth on the Macronist list in 2019, who won. A choice “by default” blows a ministerial advisor, who worries that the majority “nominate someone just to get a beating”.
A profile of a “hard worker” appreciated in the European Parliament
Valérie Hayer nevertheless has assets, her supporters argue. “She’s a woman, she’s dynamic and young.”explains the Renaissance deputy of Moselle Ludovic Mendes. Described as “a hard worker”, “who knows how to talk to everyone”, she is also the daughter and granddaughter of farmers, an ancestry deemed useful in the midst of an agricultural crisis. Former elected official in Mayenne, “she is anchored in its territory, but also has a large European network”says the Renaissance deputy for Haute-Savoie Antoine Armand.
Although his name will not mean much to most French people, he is well known to his colleagues in the European Parliament. She took over as head of the Renew group in January, when Stéphane Séjourné was appointed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “She knows her issues very well, but also her opponents, which is very important in the context of the campaign”notes MEP Renaissance Laurence Farreng. “It’s anything but a default choice. She worked for five years, that’s what makes the difference with other candidates”agrees MEP Nathalie Loiseau, who led the campaign in 2019.
A risk of weakening “from the start”
However, some members of the majority are concerned about the lack of notoriety of the future candidate. “Being the daughter of farmers is a bit short of an argument in her favor… It is her name that will be written on the ballots and she will represent the majority during the debates”worries a ministerial advisor. “Besides [le candidat du RN] Jordan Bardellado we know the names of the other candidates for the European elections outside of our microcosm?”asks Mathieu Lefèvre, deputy for Val-de-Marne. “She looks very bourgeois Macronist”says another executive advisor, unconvinced of the head of the list’s ability to seek votes beyond Emmanuel Macron’s traditional voters. Did the majority have another choice? “Valérie Hayer is the best of the worst, she at least embodies being a European MP.”scathes, angry, the ministerial advisor.
Beyond the MEP’s notoriety, some Macronists are worried about this late start to the campaign. “She’s a very nice girl who knows the subjects, but it all took too long to give birth”alarms a strategist of the majority.
“There is a risk that it will be weakened from the start, in the mode: ‘It was not the first choice’.”
A strategist of the majorityat franceinfo
Valérie Hayer still has three months to make her mark. “She is not known to the general public, but she will be”procrastinates Nathalie Loiseau who recalls that she had, “was designated in March” in 2019.
In any case, she will not defend the colors of the majority alone. The Head of State and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal intend to get involved in the campaign, promise members of the majority. “The President has already started to get actively, directly, personally involved in the campaignunderlines a Renaissance deputy. The stakes – European security, cohesion of Member States, protection of our fellow citizens and our agricultural and industrial interests – are too important.”
The future head of the list also accompanied Emmanuel Macron to the Agricultural Show on Saturday February 24. We saw her, behind the Head of State, while he was responding to questions from farmers. From there to seeing an overview of the future campaign organization? “There is clearly a form of sexism, which would suggest that when a woman is in charge, there must necessarily be someone behind her”replies Nathalie Loiseau, who recalls that “the heavyweights of the majority will necessarily be present during the campaign”.