She did not expect it “at that time”, even if many “suspected that it could happen”. Three days after Emmanuel Macron’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly, Moselle MP Isabelle Rauch, very mobilized on border issues, went back into the campaign to keep her seat, coveted by the left, but especially by an extreme right in head in Thionville during the European election.
“If it is a danger? It would be delicate for a large majority of French people and above all untenable given the major crises we are experiencing,” explains the elected official, repeating the speech of the leader of her Horizons party, Édouard Philippe.
And the question of the situation of border workers returns to the concerns of many voters in this 9th constituency of Moselle, so particular in this matter: “If the RN is in power, it will be much more difficult to discuss with Luxembourg (. ..) Everything we have been able to build would be undermined, particularly in terms of infrastructure.”
On the central subjects of teleworking or even taxation, Isabelle Rauch concedes “not having succeeded in everything”, but maintains that notable progress has been made over the last seven years. The coming to power of parties disinclined to European and cross-border collaborations would also be penalizing for those who live in France but work in Luxembourg, she believes.
“It’s quite simple. The RN pleads in favor of turning inward and the Left Popular Front wants to tax all those who exceed the median salary (editor’s note: around 2,200 euros net in France). With the extremes in power, border residents will have reason to complain.”
Precise positions which remain to be clarified on the different themes. During the previous legislative elections, Laurent Jacobelli (RN) had notably positioned himself against double taxation while Brigitte Vaïsse (former Nupes candidate) pleaded for free transport from home to work.
Faced with these adversaries, the Thionville MP supported the idea of a “republican front”. A coalition without the extreme parties, which clashes with recent initiatives from the political apparatuses. After the union of the left on Monday evening, the boss of the right Eric Ciotti announced on Tuesday his desire for an alliance with the RN, triggering an unprecedented crisis in the French right. And Isabelle Rauch concludes: “Yes, it’s an emergency campaign in a very specific context.”
The navy blue wave also in Thionville
Isabelle Rauch was re-elected with 55% of the votes in the 2022 legislative elections against Brigitte Vaïsse (Nupes). Absent from the second round, RN Stéphane Reichling obtained 21.66% in the first. In the European elections in June, Jordan Bardella’s list came well ahead in Thionville with 28.6% of the votes ahead of those of the Macronist Valérie Hayer (18.16%) and the socialist Raphaël Glucksmann (12.43%). To counter this navy blue wave, Isabelle Rauch is focusing on education and security “in the streets and in public accounts”.
