Voting Underway for Leadership of France's Les Républicains
Party members have begun casting votes for their next leader, choosing between Bruno Retailleau and Laurent Wauquiez.
More than 120,000 members of the French political party Les Républicains (LR) commenced voting on Saturday at 18:00, with results expected to be announced by the party's Secretary General, Annie Genevard, on Sunday evening.
The election is a contest between Bruno Retailleau, who is currently viewed as the frontrunner, and challenger Laurent Wauquiez.
The voting process will be conducted online and is open for 24 hours.
The rapid increase in party membership from 43,859 to 121,617 within the last two months has created uncertainty about how these new members will influence the outcome.
Both candidates have actively engaged in recruiting these members as part of their campaign strategies.
On the campaign trail, Wauquiez visited the party headquarters in Puy-en-Velay on Saturday shortly before casting his vote electronically on a laptop.
He expressed confidence in his run, stating, "I have campaigned in the style of Chirac: going everywhere, transmitting my energy and passion for our political family." Wauquiez has held approximately 120 public meetings across France during his campaign, where he articulated a series of right-wing policy proposals.
These include the deportation of dangerous foreigners and significant reform of social assistance programs, such as limiting the RSA (Active Revenu) to two years.
He has also called for a unified right, inviting various factions to collaborate, while excluding the National Rally and its allies.
In contrast, Bruno Retailleau has focused heavily on immigration policy, setting stricter naturalization criteria and advocating for Algeria to accept back nationals who face deportation orders.
Though he has refrained from directly addressing Wauquiez's proposals, he continues to advocate for a strong stance on immigration issues as Minister of the Interior.
As the election period unfolds, the competition between these two candidates highlights the evolving dynamics within Les Républicains as they seek to redefine their position in the French political landscape.
The election is a contest between Bruno Retailleau, who is currently viewed as the frontrunner, and challenger Laurent Wauquiez.
The voting process will be conducted online and is open for 24 hours.
The rapid increase in party membership from 43,859 to 121,617 within the last two months has created uncertainty about how these new members will influence the outcome.
Both candidates have actively engaged in recruiting these members as part of their campaign strategies.
On the campaign trail, Wauquiez visited the party headquarters in Puy-en-Velay on Saturday shortly before casting his vote electronically on a laptop.
He expressed confidence in his run, stating, "I have campaigned in the style of Chirac: going everywhere, transmitting my energy and passion for our political family." Wauquiez has held approximately 120 public meetings across France during his campaign, where he articulated a series of right-wing policy proposals.
These include the deportation of dangerous foreigners and significant reform of social assistance programs, such as limiting the RSA (Active Revenu) to two years.
He has also called for a unified right, inviting various factions to collaborate, while excluding the National Rally and its allies.
In contrast, Bruno Retailleau has focused heavily on immigration policy, setting stricter naturalization criteria and advocating for Algeria to accept back nationals who face deportation orders.
Though he has refrained from directly addressing Wauquiez's proposals, he continues to advocate for a strong stance on immigration issues as Minister of the Interior.
As the election period unfolds, the competition between these two candidates highlights the evolving dynamics within Les Républicains as they seek to redefine their position in the French political landscape.
