Jean-Marie Le Pen was the guest of Marie-Christine Arnautu for the last press briefing before the second round of municipal elections. Boosted by a national momentum that has given the FN legitimacy as the third party on the political spectrum (the honorary president wanted to clarify that the percentage of votes obtained is not 4% and a fraction but a solid 16% if you consider the municipalities where a party list was present!),
Jean-Marie Le Pen effectively launched the electoral campaign for the European elections by announcing that Marie-Christine Arnautu will be in second position on the list for the Corsica-PACA-Rhone-Alpes constituency, with himself heading the list.
In response to Jacques Peyrat who, the day before, had called to vote for Olivier Bettati and not Marie-Christine Arnautu in the second round, Jean-Marie Le Pen dismissed the argument with a single gesture, indicating that the friendship between the two octogenarians is now just a distant memory: “We made him the generous gesture of a second position on our list and we received a refusal, what more?”
As for Marie-Christine Arnautu, considered for a cumulative mandate, she says she is ready for this dual role and especially denies any intention to leave her position as a municipal councilor for the more lucrative European commitment.
She wants to be more combative than ever and expects the voters to confirm her status as the main opponent of the future Mayor of Nice: “I will lead a free group to fight against this lack of oxygen and freedom that characterizes the political life of Nice,” she said.
And she continued: “We proposed a simple and applicable, fundable and funded project; our action will be focused on doing everything to implement it. We will not betray our commitments and will oppose our trust to the disdain of Mr. Estrosi and his group, mostly composed of professional politicians. This is not the case for us since each of us works or has worked and can live independently of their political engagement.”
Predictions for next Sunday?
For the FN list, there is only one objective: To confirm and even amplify its score from the first round by appealing to the anti-Estrosi voices, “more numerous than the figures show,” and those who voted for right-wing lists in the first round.
For example, Philippe Vardon, who achieved an honorable result last Sunday with the identitarians, has not yet expressed himself. Could he make a gesture towards the one who did not want him on her list… An investment for the future?
Will it be within reach for the FN in Nice to exceed 20% by Sunday evening?
Gaël Nofri’s declaration, the campaign director for Marie-Christine Arnautu, reflects this good morale and suggests belief in it:
The results of the first round of municipal elections reflect two realities:
“With a high level of abstention, the outgoing Mayor is rejected by 3 out of 4 voters.
The Nice Bleu Marine list now stands out as the only opposition list both to the outgoing Mayor and the current Government. We want this opposition to be constructive, dynamic, and in service of a clear, coherent, and financially sound project for Nice and its future. It is both a democratic requirement and a necessity for our City because all power without control drives one mad.”
