Yesterday, after the UMP Political Bureau meeting during which Jean-Franรงois Copรฉ resigned as party president, the first statements from the two heavyweights of the local right revealed a clear distinction between their remarks.
Eric Ciotti had already donned his combat gear to enter the fray, while Christian Estrosi used almost ecumenical expressions, which is usually not his style.
Today, during an intervention on a television channel, the Mayor of Nice unveiled his strategy: Keeping away from factions and fratricidal struggles and playing the role of unifier.
But for whom?
If the return of Nicolas Sarkozy, called for by the Mayor of Nice (whose closeness to the former President of the Republic is well-known), seems problematic unless there is a unanimous call from the party’s nomenclature (but Franรงois Fillon has already stated that he would never give up running for the primary that will designate the UMP candidate for the 2017 presidential elections, which is already set for 2016), Christian Estrosi has not lost hope: “The upcoming congress might be the moment for him, if he has a desire to return to the political stage, to do so.”
That said, being a unifier is all well and good when there is a common will to unify. Which at the moment does not seem to be the case within the UMP.
Between the Copรฉists, currently in serious trouble but not dead, the Fillonists determined to deliver the final blow against the opponent of the moment, a few “heavyweights” seeing an opportunity to return to the stage, and the many “young wolves” seeing a clear path for their ambitions, it’s more of a boxing ring than Club Med! Moreover, the statements made by Michรจle Tabarot to Eric Ciotti (in yesterday’s Nice Matin) set the tone of the situation.
So, where could Christian Estrosi’s choice lead him? Either to marginalization because once the storm has passed, candidacies will be announced, and positioning will be necessary. Or to a pivotal role if, at a certain point, in a stalemated situation, a compromise must be accepted, and someone neutral considered for resolving the impasse…
In this case, Christian Estrosi would have the right profile and all the legitimacy to assume the role of “apostolic” administrator and take the party presidency with all the necessary experience to organize the primary and manage the UMP until the presidential election.
After that, we’ll see, but in the meantime, he will have gained a national status and possibly revised his ambitions upward.
A scenario that lacks logic?
