After leaving LR, Renaud Muselier, president of the PACA region, joins the Renaissance party.

Change of party and change of role. Former LR president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (Pacas) region Renaud Muselier has joined the presidential Renaissance party, the region said on Tuesday, confirming the regional daily newspapers La Provence and Var Matin.

Renaud Muselier has already called for voting for Emmanuel Macron in February’s presidential election after leaving Les Républicains in November 2021, accusing the party of far-right bias.

“He opted for the Renaissance party,” another source close to Mr. Muselier said, pointing out that he would be part of the formation’s executive apparatus. “He has made it clear that he will not remain on the sidelines of the national scene, that he is watching the political reorganization after the presidential elections with great attention,” the source continued.

No passage in Horizons

In October, Renaud Muselier denounced the “far-right race” of his former LR party and openly criticized the party’s presidential candidate, Eric Ciotti, alleging that he had established “a political system of pressure and threats in the Alpes-Maritimes”. He became president of the region in June 2021, largely defeating RN candidate Thierry Mariani, a former member of the Republicans.

Renaud Muselier set two criteria for his choice of party: “no compromise with extremes and no presidential stable,” supported his entourage. Thus, he preferred Renaissance to Horizons, the party of Edouard Philip, also a member of the presidential majority.

As part of the Renaissance, Renaud Muselier wants to “make the voice of the territories heard and protect the interests, priorities of his region”, but “he does not want to enter into a national debate.”

Renaud Muselier also created a regional party in July called “Cap sur l’avenir – Our Territories Above All”, calling for a gathering of the entire “democratic and republican arc” after legislative elections in which the far right won half of the constituencies in that district. region in the south of France. This party “continues to exist,” the people around assured.