Philippe Vardon, the leader of the Nice-based identitarians, is a man of convictions and action. His stated goal was to bring together the FN, Jacques Peyrat, and his movement into a “Grande droite” (Great Right) coalition.
The idea is not a bad one but… In politics, rationality must always confront the egos of one and all. Thus, neither Ms. Arnautu nor the former mayor of Nice accepted being the number 2 on the list, and each went their separate ways. Jacques Peyrat found refuge with Jean Icart with whom he formed an alliance.
Moreover, Marie-Christine Arnautu clearly stated that she did not want Philippe Vardon on her list. Fear of having a somewhat too cumbersome local figure by her side (An identitarian and a “parachuted” candidate indeed make a not very homogeneous team)? The fact remains that Philippe Vardon is currently alone at the head of his troops with the risk of being marginalized in the game of alliances.
The request is simple: If his various calls for the coalition remain unanswered, will he go into battle alone with the risk of being marginalized by a utilitarian vote?
Statement by Philippe Vardon
I note that the contacts presently favored by the FN within the framework of this future group in the European Parliament are parties whose political stances are very close to those of the identitarians and with whom we have maintained regular relations for years.
Elected members of the Lega Nord, as well as the Vlaams Belang (Belgium), have participated in our various conventions, and personally* I was received by the Vlaams Belang leader Filip Dewinter in his offices in the Flemish parliament. Similarly, identitarian leaders have repeatedly participated in meetings of the Lega Nord, and we have always been able to count on the support of its elected officials. For example, Matteo Salvini was one of the speakers at the “Masters at Home!” colloquium organized by Nissa Rebela in 2007, as part of our campaign for the legislative elections.
Considering the positions of the Lega and Matteo Salvini in particular (he belongs to the “Europe of peoples” wing and supports the independence of Catalonia, for instance), I really struggle to understand how Ms. Arnautu can still hide behind the excuse of our purported “euro-regionalism” to refuse the agreements that common sense demands within the framework of the upcoming municipal elections in Nice.
Would possible agreements with foreign entities in Brussels not be possible with identitarians in Nice?
