Former Prime Minister Michel Barnier is advocating for “bringing together the good ideas of the Republican right and the center” with his new platform “Building Together.” However, his strategy clashes with that of Bruno Retailleau, who currently opposes a single candidacy.
The major dilemma facing members of the Republicans (LR) party is whether to choose their candidate through an open, closed, or reserved primary, or to simply nominate their party president, Bruno Retailleau. While Retailleau prefers to go it alone without an alliance with the center, former Prime Minister Michel Barnier believes that “they will be obliged to work together.”
Advocating for a united candidacy from the right and center, which is supported by Senate President Gérard Larcher and LR deputy Philippe Juvin, Barnier has launched a joint platform named “Building Together.” The platform aims to “bring together the good ideas of the Republican right and the center” and is open to citizens who can contribute their ideas. Barnier states, “I am preparing a program that will be made available to the candidate we choose together.”
Retailleau, on the other hand, criticizes this strategy as a “soft synthesis” and highlights the successes in municipalities such as Annecy, Bordeaux, and Clermont-Ferrand, where agreements between the right and center have been made.
As for the designation of a candidate, many believe it is not yet time. Barnier emphasized, “For the next few months, it’s the time for projects, ideas, and a common program,” instead of focusing on the next election. He is critical of a possible primary and suggests preparing for the next generation rather than the next election.
In a different approach, François-Xavier Bellamy suggests the need to unite broadly but not dilute or compromise with those who have caused the country’s crisis. He believes that in 2027, the French will seek an alternative to Macronism, not continuity. This message goes against those in his family who support a single candidacy.
