Candidate for a second term, the outgoing president of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Renaud Muselier, called Thursday for a broad coalition of “common sense” around his name from the first round of voting: “I want to break free from the constraints of political parties,” he stated.
The LR candidate for the region is opening his arms to those who want to follow him and is extending a hand to the presidential majority candidate Sophie Cluzel: “I have La République en Marche with a government member who is running against me; it’s up to them to decide whether they want to support me.”
A willingness to be open was demonstrated earlier in the day at the candidate’s press conference by the regional heavyweights of his political family: Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, Martine Vassal, president of the Aix-Marseille Provence Metropolis and the Bouches-du-Rhône department, and Hubert Falco, president of the Toulon-Provence-Mediterranean Metropolis and mayor of Toulon. “I am willing to form an alliance with people who are compatible with Muselier,” Renaud Muselier declared.
A desire for unity is dividing the right, which does not want to muddle the party’s message for the next presidential election and has ruled out any alliance for the regional and departmental elections.
The LR mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, announced that he would distance himself from Renaud Muselier if he alliances with LREM. The same intransigence was shown by the deputy for the Alpes-Maritimes and president of the national nomination committee, Eric Ciotti.
According to the latest polls, the candidate of the National Rally, MEP Thierry Mariani, would lead in the first round of this election, but Renaud Muselier would win in the second round.
