In the Vaucluse, fratricidal battle in a historic stronghold for the far right

For a time envisaged by local actors, the union of the extreme right in the Vaucluse with the legislative elections in the name of “local specificities” will therefore (almost) not take place. The national logics of the game of nominations whistled the end of the discussions and the entry into the campaign in dispersed order of the candidates of the National Rally and Reconquest! On Monday, the RN announced its candidates for the five constituencies of the department, followed by Reconquest! this Wednesday evening.

Almost, therefore, because “to date”, underlines Bertrand de la Chesnaie, departmental coordinator of Reconquest!, his party has not nominated a candidate for the fourth constituency. That of Orange and Bollène, land of the Bompard Southern League, early supporters of Eric Zemmour, where Marie-France Lorho represents herself under the RN nomination, although she succeeded Jacques Bompard, the ex-deputy mayor. A symbol of a union that would have been possible in this department, a stronghold of the national right, where Marine Le Pen came first in the two presidential rounds (29 and 52%) and where Eric Zemmour’s score was exceeded the 10% mark. “The initial position was to unite on the right, but unfortunately that was not possible”, regretted Bertrand de La Chesnais, unsuccessful candidate for a union list in Carpentras during municipal elections.

To weigh in this department where the far right has long been rooted and impose a balance of power in view of possible negotiations between the two rounds, Reconquest! invested the media president of young people with Zemmour, Stanislas Rigault, a time dredged by Jordan Bardella, his counterpart of the RN. In the 2nd constituency, he will be opposed to Bénédicte Auzanot, the RN candidate and regional councilor. “Politics is not a pastime for students”, retorted the one who surveys the markets and hopes to win in a constituency which has placed Marine Le Pen largely in the lead. The union, it is not fundamentally opposed to it, but finds “the bad timing. We will have to work on it for future deadlines, after the recomposition of the rights.

“Locally, we have agreements that will survive”

The recomposition of the rights, this is what is at stake in the Vaucluse as elsewhere in France. But in this department, the RN has seen the arrival of new competitors, often from its camp, and intends to impose its hegemony on Reconquest candidates! who insist on wanting to achieve union. Even if it means facing former traveling companions, like Christian Montagard, (Reconquest!), opposed to Hervé de Lépinau (RN), who sits with Bertrand de la Chesnais in Carpentras and with whom he did the departmental campaign.

A fratricidal political battle that could leave traces for future elections. “For the moment, we are holding the shock and locally, we have agreements that will survive”, wishes Bertrand de La Chesnais. “The RN prides itself on having achieved 52% but what we want to demonstrate first is that in Vaucluse, the Zemmour electorate is much higher than what the RN thinks. »

To do this, the candidates of Reconquest! will also receive heavyweight support during their campaign. Marion Maréchal, elected MP for Vaucluse in 2012, should come and help the candidates of her new party. Reconquest! thinks it is playable to stay in the second round on 2 or 3 of the 5 constituencies where the RN expects no less than a 5 out of 5. Inter-round negotiations can then begin, if the RN is willing . “It all depends on the balance of power”, summarizes Bertrand de La Chesnais. The one who will come out of the polls on the evening of June 12.