Primary: LR adopts an anti-Zemmour and anti-Philippe clause

Bertrand GUAY / AFP

POLITICS – While they still do not know who will wear their colors in the presidential election, The Republicans already know who, on the right, will not be able to avail themselves of their support. The rue Vaugirard party, which is holding its digital congress this Saturday, September 25, has equipped itself with a weapon anti-Eric Zemmour, according to information from Public Senate, confirmed at franceinfo. A legal tool that would also make it possible to rule out Edward Philippe if he decided to start by attempting a takeover bid on the party of Christian jacob (which a priori has no chance of happening).

Since this Friday evening, the 79,181 members up to date are invited to express themselves on the method of designating their candidate. That is to say a primary with two turns, where would vote “all the members and the citizens who recognize themselves in the values ​​of the right and the center and who agree to appear in a nominative file”. Either a congress reserved for LR militants “up to date of contribution 15 days before the poll”, and also in two rounds.

Two options that require a change of status, which until then included an open primary. And it is precisely thanks to this statutory change that the LR staff establishes an anti-Zemmour clause, in a context where the support of the polemicist ostensibly eyeing the right-wing party, whose abilities during a presidential campaign could prove invaluable.

“With us, we don’t invite each other”

In detail, the party gives itself the means to choose who can apply for the method of designation that will be chosen. “A control body, appointed by the Political Bureau on the proposal of the President of the movement, will be responsible for the validation of the electorate, the admissibility of the candidatures with regard in particular to their compatibility with the values ​​of the right and the center and of sincerity. results ”, notes this new article, which appears in the two options offered to members this Saturday.

As for LR executives, we swear that this new body does not only target Eric Zemmour. ”It may apply to Edouard Philippe for example. We are still somewhat in control of our own destiny ”, declared to Public Senate Aurélien Pradié, number 2 of the right-wing party, who warns putative candidates who would like to invite themselves into the process: “We are not intended to be the nest of all those who are orphans. The LR are not a reception center for lost people (…) With us, we do not invite each other. We’re invited. The LRs are not the party of the ecologists. There are a few rules. And if they haven’t understood it, they will understand it ”.

“The idea is prior” to the breakthrough of the polemicist, assures AFP Gilles Platret, spokesperson for LR, specifying that it is “to avoid fanciful candidacies” from parasitizing the ballot.

Another statutory innovation, LR will also have a “prevention procedure” to be able to disconnect the candidate if he “cannot, for whatever reason”, stay in the race. A provision directly inspired by the fiasco of the Fillon candidacy in 2017.

It remains to be seen which mode of designation the members will choose. According to a large internal survey, it is the option of the congress which would have the preference of the members. A hypothesis to which Xavier Bertrand would not be closed, who has always said that he would refuse an open primary, unlike Valérie Pécresse and Michel Barnier. Whatever option will be chosen this Saturday, then revealed at the end of the day by Christian Jacob, The Republicans should have their candidate on December 4.

Also on The HuffPost: Éric Zemmour in elementary school? These young LRs don’t all close the door