Bruno Retailleau widely elected president of LR, a right for Laurent Wauquiez

The Republicans (LR) have their new president. Bruno Retailleau, Minister of the Interior and former leader of the right-wing senators, has taken the helm of the party. After three weeks of campaigning, LR activists elected the Vendée native as their leader. With over 74.3% of the vote, or 72,629 votes, he was well ahead of Laurent Wauquiez and his meager score of 25.6%. While 121,617 members were registered to participate in this vote, 97,736 votes were cast, representing a turnout of 80.36%.

For the MP for Haute-Loire, Laurent Wauquiez, this defeat has an air of humiliation given the great gap between the two candidates, although his rival was the favourite throughout the campaign .

"We must ensure that we are united to win," the unsuccessful candidate immediately reacted. "We must bring together the entire right and put forward a project of rupture. The right can only succeed by putting forward strong ideas to curb the explosion of immigration and communitarianism, to restore security to the compatriots who have a right to it."

This presidential race has been marked by outrages on both sides. Particularly on migration issues. While Bruno Retailleau shamelessly attacked the rule of law, which he blamed for preventing any strict immigration reform, Laurent Wauquiez advocated for "dangerous foreigners under OQTF (obligation to leave the territory – Editor's note) to be locked up in a detention center in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, outside of mainland France."

A way of creating an event that recalls the methods of American President Donald Trump. Even if he preferred to salute another "role model for the right" this Thursday on LCI: the far-right Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. The next day, this time on Europe 1, Laurent Wauquiez affirmed that he wanted to gather around him several far-right figures, such as Sarah Knafo, Reconquête MEP, and former minister Philippe de Villiers. A strategy that seems to be losing.