He made the first constituency, the city center of Nice, his stronghold, in which he has been re-elected as a deputy since 2007. Éric Ciotti, president of the Republicans, is running there again, this time also supported by the RN by Jordan Bardella. For his last interview before the first round, he chose Nice-Presse and RCF Radio. Excerpts.
“I have the support of a large majority of activists”
“The moment is historic. We have been plunged into advanced decline for twelve years: an unprecedented budgetary deterioration, insecurity, record immigration, the loss of our sovereignty. The results are appalling.”
“There are only two major blocs that will play the match on Sunday. The far left, which intends to place Jean-Luc Mélenchon at Matignon. On the other side, the bloc of the right and national unity. In the middle, nothing: Macronism is dead. We can see it clearly, even Mr. Estrosi, who has been incredibly zealous with the president, is already one of the rats who are leaving the ship.”
“I assume that I have cut a deadly medical cordon (the then watertight border between the traditional right and the National Front, Editor’s note), which prevented the gathering of right-wing patriots. In this, I have the support of a large majority of activists”.
New party
What will become of LR after the elections? Does Eric Ciotti intend to form a new party, with another name, as is said? He does not deny it. “We will have our own group in the National Assembly this summer, then we will get down to structuring it throughout France, to rebuild the right. The Republicans in their current form will be rebuilt.”
“Our priority is the reconquest of the neighborhoods taken hostage”
In the event that he becomes Minister of the Interior, as Jordan Bardella mentioned this week, what would be his first concerns? “Violence has exploded, as has drug trafficking, which contributes to it. The laws no longer apply in certain neighborhoods, particularly in Nice: in Moulins, Liserons, Route de Turin and Bon Voyage. Our priority will be the reconquest of these neighborhoods taken hostage, the fight against drug traffickers.”
With what concrete means? “The restoration of minimum sentences, the end of the reduction of sentences for minors. Immigration is often the cause of this violence: we will eliminate the right of the soil. We must not become French by chance, but by filiation, or by a real desire for integration.”
What pension reform?
It is said that the RN and LR coalition is floundering on the subject of pensions, with several contradictory proposals. What evolution of the current system would be implemented as a priority? “In times of emergency, one measure: those who started working very young, less than twenty years old, often with great difficulty, and who have paid contributions for forty years, must be able to leave at age 60”.
“(The audit) that we will conduct once we have taken up our responsibilities will show us the room for maneuver that we have for other developments.” It remains to be seen whether the government’s latest reform will be repealed or not.
And what about taxes? “We are proposing a reduction, with the end of part of the inheritance tax for those with average assets. We will facilitate donations from parents to children, every ten years rather than fifteen. Donations from grandparents will be encouraged, with a tax exemption of up to 100,000 euros, to unlock fixed savings for the benefit of young people.
The nuclear package, and a sanction of the Chinese model
What does he say to those who are worried about the level of financial markets and the rise in interest rates if the RN’s victory created a form of panic? “We hear fantasies and fears, stirred up by the government which has a calamitous record in this area. With Giorgia Meloni in Italy, the rates increased for a few weeks, before everything returned to normal.”
Last theme, that of environmental protection. “We are already a country among the virtuous thanks to nuclear power. We must put the package into it – 14 additional reactors – it is the least expensive and cleanest energy. Of course, we will follow the Paris agreements on the climate “We are going to tax Chinese products at the borders because they do not meet our environmental standards.”
“Almost a call to murder”
On Thursday, June 27, the president of the regional council, Renaud Muselier, attacked Eric Ciotti with a flamethrower: “He has become the world champion of rattlesnakes. He is a coward, a Brutus, and like him, he will be assassinated within two years.”. Response from the person concerned to our microphone: “This would be worth criminal charges, since it is almost a call to murder. It leaves me cold coming from Mr. Muselier who is infamously vulgar, who has never done anything, has never succeeded in anything, and who is today leading a pathetic policy in the Region.”
