The “official” announcement of his withdrawal from running for the departmental presidency of Les Républicains is merely a confirmation of what has been known for some time.
This action is also the logical continuation of the disengagement of the Mayor of Nice from the party’s political line, represented by the national presidency of Laurent Wauquiez and his loyal local ally Eric Ciotti.
The latter had aimed to position himself as number 1 in the department: he will achieve this without having to take up arms with his rival, who gladly leaves him this empty shell (have we ever heard of a party meeting or deliberation in recent years, regardless of the subject?).
The task of the future new president is to revive the internal debate, unless he wants to make it a tool for his personal ambitions, whether local or national. We shall see.
Christian Estrosi’s motivation seems logical: “If I chose a year ago not to participate in the election of our movement’s president (Laurent Wauquiez, editor’s note), it is not to get involved today in an election that started with provocations and fuels divisions in which I do not intend to participate.”
True or not, Christian Estrosi will not engage in the overbidding desired by Eric Ciotti for a debate on his loyalty to the party’s official political line, which would have allowed Ciotti to assert his orthodox position in opposition to what he defines as “the unofficial representative of En Marche.”
The exchange via Twitter between the two figures clearly shows the nature of the debate that would have taken place if it had occurred.
“I want to focus on the debates of ideas, not on leadership wars,” says Christian Estrosi in his email, who founded his own movement, La France Audacieuse, adding that he does not “renounce supporting” his political family, “but away from parochial wars.”
And he indirectly addresses his rival: “I reiterate my rejection of sectarianism, my refusal of clan-based politics, and especially the reaffirmation of an unbridgeable line with all those who would move closer to or show ambiguity with the former Front National or today’s Rassemblement National.”
“I regret that @cestrosi refuses the debate I proposed to him,” Éric Ciotti immediately reacted on Twitter: “It is an act of defiance towards his political family and the militants, who have given him everything.”
In charge of the party, the Côte d’Azur MP will be able to impose his very right-wing line.
The first rendezvous will be the European elections in May 2019: on this occasion, we will see which camp his party and he himself will choose: the pro-Europe progressives or the national-populists of Orban and his followers?
