He could be the surprise guest of a right-wing primary, the organization of which has, let us remember, not yet been recorded. Eric Ciotti, LR deputy for Alpes-Maritimes, should in the coming days announce his entry into the 2022 presidential race.
Information revealed this Wednesday by several media, including RTL, Paris Match and Politico. The timing of his announcement still seems unclear. According to information from Figaro, the representative of the right wing of the Republicans should formalize his candidacy this Thursday morning, during the interview with Jean-Jacques Bourdin on RMC / BFM TV.
For other media, he should announce it instead on Saturday, during a large public meeting back to school, scheduled in his constituency, in Levens, PACA, where more than 2,000 activists are expected.
On the starting line of a possible right-wing primary, the “Monsieur Sécurité” of the Republicans would join Valérie Pécresse, president (ex-LR) of the Ile-de-France region, and Philippe Juvin, LR mayor of La Garenne- Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine) and head of emergency at the Georges Pompidou hospital in Paris, the only two other candidates already declared. Xavier Bertrand, president (ex-LR) of Hauts-de-France, insists that he will not participate.
Former minister Michel Barnier, ex-chief Brexit negotiator for the EU, could soon be out of the woods. While waiting perhaps Bruno Retailleau, president of the LR group in the Senate, and Laurent Wauquiez, boss of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The three men must soon lift the veil on their intentions.
Give visibility to the right wing
In the absence for the moment of the two other heavyweights of the most conservative wing of LR (Laurent Wauquiez and Bruno Retailleau), Eric Ciotti, loyal to Nicolas Sarkozy, has therefore decided to take matters in hand. If, with Paris Match, he wants to be lucid about his meager chances of success, winning does not seem to be his main objective. He wants to give visibility to the current he represents, firm on security and the regal, in view of the presidential election next April. “I believe in the victory of the right in 2022. I join this collective and I will remain in my political family,” he told Paris Match.
The president of the LR federation of the Alpes-Maritimes also probably has in mind the previous Manuel Valls, Bruno Le Maire or Arnaud Montebourg: the unfortunate candidates of the primaries are very often integrated into the campaign systems thereafter, then, in case of victory, are well placed to obtain a ministerial portfolio …