Lou Fritel
06/30/2024 at 9:19 p.m.
The former president of LR, his camp’s putative candidate for the presidential election, is in a runoff in the 1st constituency of Haute-Loire, even though he came out on top with 36.8% of the vote, according to initial estimates.
A more than uncertain return to business. The president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region finds himself in an uncomfortable situation facing his opponent from the National Rally, Alexandre Heuzey, in the 1st constituency of Haute-Loire.
Although he comes out on top in this first round with 36.8% of the vote, Laurent Wauquiez is only one point ahead of his opponent, at 35.5%. A good third, the candidate of the New Popular Front, Cécile Gallien and her 17.6% can maintain herself in a three-way race.
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In the European elections, this rural mid-mountain territory saw the torch party increase by 16.4 points compared to 2019, going from 23.21% to 39.61%. This is the strongest surge of lepénistes in France.
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Return to the Assembly compromise
If Laurent Wauquiez were to win the ballot box and regain a seat in the Palais Bourbon – he was a member of parliament for the same constituency from 2004 to 2017, terms interspersed with ministerial posts – he would be making his grand return to national political life, in a chamber populated by heavyweights such as Marine Le Pen and François Hollande if the latter is elected next Sunday.
An asset for Les Républicains, which he chaired from 2017 to 2019, before resigning against a backdrop of disastrous electoral results in the penultimate European elections. Since retired to his lands in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the former minister has since dangled the prospect of a presidential candidacy, without it ever materializing until now. Enough to make him nicknamed “the shirker of Puy-en-Velay” by his detractors.
