فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Paris: France’s right-wing Les Républicains party on Sunday elected current Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau as its new leader, defeating the head of its parliamentary bloc, Laurent Wauquiez. This significant victory strengthens Retailleau’s position as a potential candidate for the anticipated presidential election in 2027.
Retailleau, 64, secured 74.3% of the votes against his opponent’s 25.7%, in a ballot that saw over 80% participation from the party’s 120,000 members. Retailleau thus succeeds former leader Éric Ciotti, who approximately a year ago chose to ally with the far-right National Rally party for the early legislative elections following the dissolution of the National Assembly in June 2024.
During the results announcement, the party’s Secretary-General, Annie Genevard, keen to spare Les Républicains the internal divisions that have undermined the French right for over a decade, emphasized that “unity is more necessary than ever, and it is a guarantee of our credibility and the effectiveness of our efforts in service of France.” From his stronghold in Puy-en-Velay (east-central France), Wauquiez conceded defeat and also called for avoiding “the plague of division (which) has always weakened the right.” Prime Minister François Bayrou welcomed this “magnificent victory.”
Retailleau has intensified his actions as Interior Minister, tightening laws on granting citizenship to foreigners and unsuccessfully calling for a public confrontation to compel Algeria to take back its citizens ordered to leave the country. Retailleau’s overwhelming victory presents a strong opportunity for him to enter the presidential race from the right. He faces competition from within the right-wing spectrum, notably former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, who is currently considered the frontrunner in opinion polls.
