After the declarations of Christian Estrosi, who, besides reaffirming his own candidacy for the 2016 primary, is distancing himself from Nicolas Sarkozy (even if it may be a tactical diversion maneuver), he especially “scorched” François Copé and clearly expressed his opposition to François Fillon.
It is now the turn of two other heavyweights in local politics, Michèle Tabarot and Eric Ciotti, to speak out and take a position.
Michèle Tabarot, one of the party’s number 2 figures and local liaison for François Copé, stated in a communiqué: “The psychodrama over the financial situation of the UMP could have been avoided.”
She even claims proper management of the party’s finances: “The net debt is certainly significant, but not insurmountable, and absolutely not as high as alleged by some. The debt has significantly decreased compared to 2012, for the first time since 2009, a sign of responsible management, especially in terms of human resources.”
Accusing the rivals of the former party president without naming them (but it is clear whom she is referring to), she indicates a… conspiracy?: “We can thereby lament an obvious will of sabotage among those who have willfully spread lies and slanders with a level of hatred rarely reached.”
Eric Ciotti’s response, a close ally of François Fillon, is of an entirely different nature: “I call on Jean-François Copé for a bit of decency because if we are here, if we have today this dreadful situation, a very degraded budgetary situation, especially a moral bankruptcy…, I believe that Jean-François Copé bears a very heavy responsibility for this situation. Today, I think that silence would be, at the very least, welcome,” said Mr. Ciotti on France 2, reserving “his answers for the magistrates.”
Eric Ciotti, who was an early supporter and campaign director for the former Prime Minister during the election for the UMP presidency in 2012, the outcome of which is well-remembered, has always spoken with great caution about Nicolas Sarkozy’s return and, in any case, without a preferential path, which means going through the primary process where François Fillon has repeatedly proclaimed he would participate, regardless of who the other candidates might be.
“If Nicolas Sarkozy wants to return, it’s not what he said previously, it’s likely to be a candidate. He can do it through the primary. I do not think it is the best choice for him to return through the door of a party today,” estimated the president of the General Council.
An opinion that unfolds as advice: “Let us perhaps trust the younger generation to rebuild the UMP. That was François Fillon’s proposal: that there be a president who prepares a project, who turns the page of the past, who rebuilds, who prepares the primaries scheduled for 2016.”
If Eric Ciotti’s positioning is clear and uncompromising compared to Michèle Tabarot’s position, how to place him concerning Christian Estrosi’s candidacy for the primary, if it is upheld until then?
An agreement between the two does not seem really possible: @estrosi “My disagreement is on the political line. François Fillon advocates liberalism, personally I am Gaullist. That is the only issue.”
In fact, in politics, if you disagree on the political line… It is not the smallest matter! In this case, there are conditions to forge an alliance, even if under a compromise?
The resulting question is: How will Eric Ciotti position himself at the moment of truth?
Will the long collaboration, the proclaimed friendship, and the common interests in managing the party and territorial collectives be a sufficient bond? Or, beyond appearances, will each play for themselves and their future? And, in this case, what will be the changes in the local political landscape?
How will the old barons (Jean Leonetti, Jean-Claude Guibal) choose to support one or the other? And the numerous small chiefs, some old foxes, and other young wolves?
In the last municipal elections, Eric Ciotti invested a lot of effort for the new mayors of Cannes (David Lisnard) and Grasse (Jérôme Viaud)… The pieces are set!
Finally, who will the Copéists rally behind, certainly out of the game for this round but who will not fail to assert (and weigh) their capital of votes?
The Roman senators said of themselves, as Titus Livius tells us: “Hic manebimus optime.”* Even more reason, think the candidates for succession, to take their place.
Ah, power..!
