On the phone, Patrick, 84, is not worried. But then, not worried at all. On the contrary, the head of the National Rally office in Gard welcomes his party's vote for the motion of censure which overthrew the Barnier government, Wednesday December 4. “It was the right time. All the supporters I spoke with are happy with this decision”he says in his lilting accent. Even if he admits, in one sentence, to having received a call the day before from a “furious lady”. “Well, she complained and ended up telling me that she would no longer vote for Marine, and neither would her children. But it happens…”
The Cross called departmental federations of the RN across the four corners of France, and analyzed the testimonies of party supporters on the social networks Facebook and X. Overall, the RN's decision seems rather applauded on the ground. “Marine did what she had to do, there was no other possibility”comments Yasmina on Facebook. “I'm not angry at all. Total support for the next motions of censure until the departure of the Tsar from the Élysée »reacts Christian for his part.
In Savoie, satisfaction also reigns. “On the news channels they say that without government nine budgetit's going to be the apocalypse, but that's not what we hear hereassures Viviane, retired, member of the RN since 2012. I speak to disillusioned people who tell me: 'We're at such a point that it can't get worse.' » Same speech in Nièvre: “We are tired of being the cash cows and always paying for others,” says Thomas*, 27 years old.
“It’s the logical next step”
The fear of chaos resulting from the overthrow of the government does not seem to particularly pervade the frontist electorate. “ It must be said that in the morning, Michel Barnier tells us about an apocalypse, while the same evening Emmanuel Macron tells us that everything will be fine. mocks Martine*, 39, who voted RN for the first time in the European elections in June.
“This censorship changes nothing in my view of the party. In any case, I don’t think Marine Le Pen will do better than the others,” judges the former Republican supporter. Will this speech, however, be shared by the more recent electorate of the National Rally, particularly from the traditional right, who may have been upset by censorship?
Business leaders and agricultural unions, who fear a halt to the ongoing negotiations on the free trade treaty with Mercosur, are those who are the most worried. Like Hubert, a 53-year-old business manager, who lived “without any particular enthusiasm” the participation of the RN in the motion of censure. However, he supports her.
“For me, it is the logical continuation of all these years during which the vote of the French was not taken into account. This government was a headless duck, and the budget looked like it,” proclaims the man from Gisors (Eure). Ultimately, it was the “alliance” of circumstance between the RN and the NFP which irritated the most. “I have always voted for RN and I am angry to have seen my deputies vote with Mélenchon”, thus castigated Claude on Facebook, joined by other disappointed Internet users.
In any case, despite what Marine Le Pen has said on several occasions, the urgency to vote for censorship does not come from the field. “In reality, our members did not have clear-cut positions. They didn't tell us whether to censor or not. The speech was rather to say “If you think it should be done, go for it.”. They trust us,” confides Timothée Houssin, deputy for Eure. For them, the fall of the government does not signify the end of history… But the hope of better days. The shock will be severe if the newly appointed prime minister does not meet their expectations. “The goal is to achieve something, recognizes Timothée Houssin. Marine Le Pen must prove herself. »
*The first name has been changed
