France’s Republicans face uncertainty as Ciotti is ousted for alliance with far-right – Euractiv

France’s centre-right Republicans sacked its leader Eric Jyoti on Wednesday (June 12) after he announced a coalition with Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, but his actions in the ensuing media storm suggested he intended to hold on to his job.

After President Emmanuel Macron’s Ennahda party suffered a crushing defeat to the National Rally, Macron dissolved the National Assembly and announced early legislative elections in two rounds, to be held on June 30 and July 7.

Jyoti then announced that he would work with the National Alliance – an unprecedented move that lasted about 24 hours before the party leadership announced on Wednesday (June 12) that Jyoti would be removed as party leader.

“Eric Ciotti conducted secret negotiations without consulting our political family and its activists, in complete violation of the Republican Party’s constitution and political line. He is expelled from the Republican Party,” LR Secretary General Annie Genevard announced after a meeting of the party’s political committee.

According to the party’s rules, Genevard is expected to become the party’s leader alongside Vice-President Francois-Xavier Bellamy, who will lead the party in European elections.

The political committee unanimously decided to remove Jyoti and stressed that the party must remain “independent”.

The committee said this meant rejecting both Macron’s line and the National Rally’s “step into the unknown”.. “The National Assembly needs a pillar of stability,” Giniwad added.

Macron also denounced what he called a “pact with the devil” between conservatives and the far right at a press conference earlier on Wednesday.

On Thursday (June 13) morning, Jyoti appeared at the party headquarters and condemned his sacking as a “coup” in the party and confirmed that he had taken legal action against his dismissal.

Reporters appeared on the balcony of the Republican headquarters, where he had blocked access the day before, and asked him if he had full access. He replied “almost,” adding that he was “working on it.”

On the same day, he posted a video on X in which he took over the office to epic music and the party’s logo – suggesting he wanted to keep his position as leader.

Two scenarios before legislative elections

However, Jyoti refused to abide by the PAC’s decision and said he would still remain as party president.

After his sacking was announced on Wednesday, he said it was “illegal and in violation of the party’s constitution,” adding that a political committee could only be formed with the consent of the chairman.

“I am and will continue to be the Republican president. The activists elected me,” he told news television Following the announcement on Wednesday evening.

For the right-wing party, which won 7.25% of the vote and six seats for the European People’s Party (EPP), there are two scenarios for the future.

If Ciotti succeeds in regaining the party presidency, the party will be hopeful of reaching an agreement with the National League. Ciotti said nearly 80 of his party’s outgoing lawmakers were ready to follow him into this “right-wing alliance”, although only one has publicly confirmed this so far.

Another possibility is that the Republicans abandon Sciotti and remain nonaligned until key legislative elections.

However, it remains to be seen how the right-wing party base will respond to this infighting.

According to a poll conducted by Odoxa-Backbone Consulting for Le Figaro published on June 11, half of the party’s supporters support the coalition proposed by Giotti.

For Bellamy, head of the Republican Party list for European elections, the national campaign must be conducted “under the banner of the right” and not under the banner of the far right as was the case in the European elections.

“This deal will be counterproductive: there is no reason why the right cannot oppose Macron in the first round of elections… In the European Parliament we are the main opponents of Macronism,” Bellamy said.

(Daniel Ek/Editing by Zoran Radosavljevic)

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