Following the ample victory of his party, together with the UDI, departmental elections, Nicolas Sarkozy expanded its position before the primary in 2017, although its main rivals remain determined to block his path.
66 departments in the bag of the right and center to the left against 34 undergoing one of its most acute setbacks, zero for the National Front (which nevertheless accounts for 62 advisers Departmental against one in 2011): the UMP won “unprecedented victory” on Monday welcomed his spokesman, Sébastien Huyghe. “This is a membership vote our values” , added Gerald Darmanin, deputy general secretary of the election.
“I am aware that the road will be long, difficult “ and ” alternation is on, nothing will stop “, warned Sunday night the former head of state, which aims to win back the Elysee, even if he still has not declared his candidacy for the primary of his camp, in November 2016, unlike its two main competitors, Alain Juppé and François Fillon.
The terms of this primary should also be detailed by Mr Sarkozy himself during a press conference at the end of a political office on April 14, said a UMP source told AFP.
To achieve its goals, Sarkozy hopes to count on the new party that will create at the conference on May 31 and could be called “Republicans.”
According to its allies, it is the strategy adopted since his election as head of the movement, there are less than four months, which resulted in the victory of appeasement signals inside after two years of strong turbulence, alliance with the center, also advocated by Mr Juppé, virulent opposition to the socialist political and talking tough on integration.
Also, and perhaps especially for “It’s a matter of life or death for the UMP” by Mr Sarkozy, the attitude to FN, need “brutally attacking” , he . But Mr Sarkozy has always taken care to distinguish the National Front party of his voters, refusing to “judge” or “lecturing” .
Again, the strategy paid off since a large majority of votes in the first round FN were deferred to the second in the duels right / left on the pairs UMP / IDU. . Reserves voice that could prove crucial in a possible second round of presidential
On Sunday evening, the former head of state delivered a message in two directions: one on local, promising the French implementation in the departments earned by his side, their campaign pledge (Master taxes, fight against the assistantship …) “only way to restore credit public speaking. “
The message also wanted national in scope and concerns ultimately, 2017.
” We will strengthen the unity of our political family. The unit is my priority for several months. Without unity, nothing is possible in the future “, launched Mr. Sarkozy, stressing that the victory came back ” to all those who have chosen the collective “, referring including the alliance right / center martingale necessary to hope to win the primary, draining the electoral base of the mayor of Bordeaux, supposedly more popular than him in the center.
Monday late morning, he again met Jean-Christophe Lagarde, president of the UDI, welcoming the end of the meeting that the strategy of the UMP / IDU alliance was “acclaimed.” ” We will now work with the situation of the regional elections (in December), the second stage of alternating necessary “, warned Mr Lagarde.
Sarkozy now intends to ” speed the preparation of a republican project of alternation, strong, realistic project, a new and profoundly. “
The ambitions of the former president, whose name is mentioned in several court cases, however, will face the equally assertive, MM. Juppe and Fillon who each work on their own project.
For the entourage of the mayor of Bordeaux, who think I have a leg up on Mr Sarkozy in terms of alliance with the center, including the MoDem of François Bayrou reviled by the former tenant of the Elysee Palace, Sarkozy is “a competitor like the others.”
As for Mr. Fillon, who calls his project, the most advanced of the three, “radical” , he said Sunday night that the UMP was now “a very heavy responsibility” without mentioning Mr Sarkozy
.
Photos: © AFP Thomas Samson