How many giant screens? Guestbooks or no guestbooks? Who to speak? At the headquarters of the National Rally, the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen on Tuesday shook up the agendas. In addition to the funeral reserved for family privacy, which takes place on Saturday January 11 in La Trinité-sur-Mer (Morbihan), a religious ceremony is organized five days later, Thursday January 16, in Paris. This mass, at the Notre-Dame church of Val-de-Grâce, is an initiative of Marine Le Pen and her two sisters, Marie-Caroline and Yann. “It’s about giving the opportunity to all those who loved Jean-Marie Le Pen to come together to pay tribute to him”explains a party executive. All supporters are invited, no pre-registration is required.
The choice of location owes nothing to chance. It corresponds “to desire” of the family who “wanted to organize the tribute in a military chapel to remember that Mr. Le Pen served in the army.” The Saint-Louis-des-Invalides cathedral was initially mentioned, but impossible. “Practice and tradition dictate that the Invalides are reserved for soldiers killed in combat, general officers, holders of Orders or pensioners. Jean-Marie Le Pen does not meet these criteria”cuts a source close to the file.
Go for the Notre-Dame du Val-de-Grâce church, which also depends from the diocese to the Armed Forces. The buildinglocated in 5e district of Paris, can accommodate 500 people.The process of the tribute, like the printing of the souvenir booklets, are still “in stall”. Lasting 1h30 maximum, it will be celebrated in French by an former military chaplain, and not by the controversial traditionalist abbot Philippe Laguérie. This mass, “It’s a real headache because we are not entitled to state aid”, grumbles another party member who takes part in the preparatory meetings. The site has the advantage of having a large courtyard outside, where at least one giant screen will be installed.
The main executives of the RN will be present: Jordan Bardella, the president; Renaud Labaye, Marine Le Pen’s closest collaborator. “It is a safe bet that many RN deputies, whether they sit in the National Assembly or the European Parliament, will come in large numbers”, clutch a frame. “There could also be leaders of foreign parties”continues another. Former LR boss Eric Ciotti, allied with the RN with his Union of Rights for the Republic (UDR) party, should also take his place in the assembly.
Bruno Gollnisch, Jean-Marie Le Pen’s traveling companion for forty years, will also make the trip. A week before the ceremony, Laurent de Saint Affrique did not yet know. “I will be at Trinity on Saturday, after that, will I be there on Thursday? That would be duplicative”replied to us Thursday cHe is a very close advisor to Jean-Marie Le Pen.
But there remains an unknown factor: the number of anonymous people and, above all, their profile. “By opening the ceremony to the public, we expose ourselves to the arrival of a whole bunch of individuals that the RN no longer wanted to see in its meetings”, anticipates an elected official. “We don’t know exactly how many of Jean-Marie’s worshipers will be there…”continues another. What about Dieudonné? From Alain Soral? No response.
“Entrances will be closely controlled by the security service who will place everyone in the churchdetails Marine Le Pen’s entourage. Provocateurs who attempt to return will be turned away.” “It will be extremely sensitive given the controversial figure represented by Jean-Marie Le Pen”insists Eric Henry, national delegate of the National Police Alliance union. “You also just have to look at some of the reactions that came from his death”adds the trade unionist, in reference to the “giant aperitifs” organized in several cities in France to celebrate the death of the “Menhir”. A police security system “important” should therefore also be deployed.
