The ministers members of the Republicans (LR) “confirm” in a statement sent to AFP this Wednesday, October 22, “that they have withdrawn from any function” within the party whose president, Bruno Retailleau, intends to impose a “sanction” on them or even pronounce their exclusion.
“Following their decision to participate in the government, the Republican ministers confirm that they have withdrawn from any role within the party (…) to which they reaffirm their adherence,” write Annie Genevard (Agriculture), Rachida Dati (Culture), Philippe Tabarot (Transport), Vincent Jeanbrun (Housing), Sébastien Martin (Industry) and Nicolas Forissier (Foreign Trade).
Open crisis in LR around the Lecornu II government
LR meets with its political bureau on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. and Bruno Retailleau indicated to Le Figaro that he intended to announce “a sanction” against the ministers who defied the party’s instructions. According to the party’s statutes, the loss of membership is decided by the general secretary, Othman Nasrou, who is close to the party president.
Othman Nasrou recently sent a letter, consulted by AFP, to interested parties, asking them to “send (their) observations” before noon on Wednesday.
LR is experiencing a new episode of internal crisis since the formation of Sébastien Lecornu’s first government. Returning to the Ministry of the Interior, but unhappy with the composition of the government, Bruno Retailleau immediately made it public and Sébastien Lecornu announced the resignation of his government a few hours after forming it.
The political bureau of the right-wing party, in a stormy meeting, then advocated non-participation in the second Lecornu government, a position confirmed by a vote of its members, but contrary to that of the deputies of the group chaired by Laurent Wauquiez. Following the announcement of the Lecornu II government, the party announced the exclusion of LR ministers, pending a final decision.
Bruno Retailleau determined to sanction
On Tuesday night on BFMTV, Laurent Wauquiez called on his party to “seek appeasement” and “not exclude everyone.”
Bruno Retailleau, elected by majority as head of the party in May, intends to impose a “sanction” on the affected ministers. The president of the Senate, Gérard Larcher, for his part, was in favor of postponing the exclusion, “a good position”, according to the president of the right-wing party in the National Assembly.
Bruno Retailleau’s decision to challenge the composition of the Lecornu 1 government, taken “in a tweet, without talking to us”, “of course it was difficult”, Laurent Wauquiez slipped on Wednesday evening. Bruno Retailleau also considered in Le Figaro that the Government’s draft budget, “as it stands”, was “invotable” for the right, which should not abstain from “any debate, including that of censorship.”
Source: BFM TV
