
EU Elections: A Dead End for French Party Les Républicains?
Ideological inconsistency and obsession with respectability have prevented follow-through on conservative convictions.

Ideological inconsistency and obsession with respectability have prevented follow-through on conservative convictions.

François-Xavier Bellamy’s position is difficult to defend since his party belongs to the EPP group whose positions are often at odds with his own.

Center-right maintains control of Senate

MP Thiériot, who proposed the bill, believes that decisions to rewrite were made because of “pressure from the ‘wokist’ movement and ‘cancel culture.’”

Les Républicains wants to appear to be in tune with the state of French public opinion, which demands rigour and firmness in the management of immigration.

The outcry caused by a simple article proves that the road to the Union of the Rights is still long, extremely long. But the seeds have been sown, and time is on the Right side.

Ciotti’s strategy has been very clear throughout the campaign: having in mind the presidential election of 2027, prepare the ground for Laurent Wauquiez.

The game is not completely played in advance. Ciotti and Retailleau have in common that they both assume a conservative right-wing discourse, but each in their own way.

Retailleau clearly distinguished himself from his colleague Ciotti in this matter of ‘image maintenance’ and political correctness, declaring: “I have never fallen for the Left’s moral lessons.”

Les Républicains are caught in a dangerous trap, between Macronism and the Rassemblement National, which has established itself as the leading parliamentary group on the Right.