2024 Legislative Elections: “The machine is seized up here too”: a presidential alliance not so fluid in Hérault

Jean-François Audrin, responsable départemental Horizons, en 2022, aux côtés d'Edouard Philippe. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

Avec cinq candidats Horizons pour quatre candidats Renaissance, les soutiens d'Edouard Philippe sont en force dans le département. Ce qui ne plaît pas à tout le monde dans le parti d'Emmanuel Macron.

In Hérault, five candidates claim to be behind Edouard Philippe and four behind Emmanuel Macron. A detail ? Not quite. Particularly for the departmental manager of Horizons, Jean-François Audrin, mayor of Saint-Georges-d’Orques. "The five candidates in question coached Horizons in their submission of their applications to the prefecture", he appreciates. 

"We are legitimate"

"Paris contributed to this distribution, Jean-François Audrin is pleased to say. If we are so present, it is because we must be a party of the future, we are legitimate. Our agreement is still different from the union of the left. We, with Renaissance, work together from an electoral and programmatic point of view. Our policies are moving in the same direction."

Edouard Philippe expected in Hérault

Such a presence of the party of the former Prime Minister and Mayor of Le Havre is a first in Hérault. It remains to be seen how the Hérault candidates of the presidential majority will be able to hold their own in these legislative elections. And that will be complicated. Starting with keeping the three seats of the outgoing. As for Edouard Philippe, with such representation, he is expected in the department by June 30, in order to come and support his candidates.

“The machine is seized up here too”

On the Renaissance side, on the other hand, the pill may be a little hard to swallow. In particular for this member who wishes to remain anonymous: “It's a defeat, the explanation is simple: we are preparing Edouard Philippe for the future. It's a shame to risk democracy to be the dish carrier for the presidential elections. I am disoriented. There is a loss of overall democratic compass. The machine is seized up here too."

For June 30 and July 7, we're going to have to play as one.

Also read: 2024 legislative elections: the complete list of candidates for the presidential majority in Hérault… and a surprise

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