Bruno Retailleau, Leader of a Party That No Longer Makes Presidents in France
French Interior Minister Bruno Rotailleau has assumed the leadership of the right-wing Republicans (LR) party, with his sights set on winning the Élysée Palace in the 2027 presidential election.
However, this party, which has produced several presidents in the past, is no longer capable of making presidents in France.
This politician's rise to the leadership of the right-wing party coincided with a severe political and diplomatic crisis with Algeria.
Many moderate politicians in Algeria and France view him as the cause of the deepening impasse in Algerian-French relations since last summer, which saw French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to distort his country's position on the Western Sahara issue by blatantly siding with the Moroccan regime.
Many observers have discussed Bruno Rotailleau's political ambitions and their repercussions for relations with Algeria, pointing to the possibility of running for the French presidential election. However, this possibility remains highly unlikely, according to observers, given the weakness of his party, which came in fourth place in the last legislative elections, with only 46 seats in the French National Assembly (the lower house of parliament). This is compared to the left-wing movement, known as the 'New National Front,' which won 182 seats.
The right-wing movement in France, both traditional and extreme, currently consists of four parties: the National Rally (RN), a descendant of the far-right National Front, founded by Jean-Marie Le Pen, the third-largest political party based on the results of the recent legislative elections; the Republicans (LR); the Union of the Right for the Republic, founded by Éric Ciotti, the former president of the Republicans; and another small party, the Reconquest Party (Reconquéte), founded by the Jewish extremist Éric Zemmour.
For the Algerian diplomat Mustapha Zeghlache, Bruno Retailleau's ascension to the Élysée Palace remains extremely difficult, given the fragmentation of the right-wing and far-right movements, as well as the decline of the 'Republicans' LR party in the French political scene due to the divisions it has experienced, the most recent of which occurred last summer, when its former president decided to split and form an alliance with the extremist 'National Front' party.
Retailleau's first statement after his victory in the Republicans' presidential election was to emphasise that his primary focus would be on unifying the right-wing faction. However, the contradictions on the ground appear far greater than he imagined, making this task difficult, if not impossible.
In a statement to Echorouk, Zeghlach explained, 'Even though it's too early, and the possibility of Retailleau running for the presidency and winning is disturbing to Algeria and its interests, it will be extremely difficult to achieve his dreams, because the political landscape in France has changed significantly, and his party is no longer as popular as it once was.'
It is well known that the Republicans party, formerly known as the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) before changing its name in 2015, which embodies Gaullist values, of which only the name remains, has brought numerous presidents to the Élysée Palace, such as General de Gaulle, Jacques Chirac, and most recently Nicolas Sarkozy. However, today it has not even been able to secure second or third place in legislative or local elections, underscoring the difficulty Bruno Retailleau faces in relying on this party to achieve his dreams.
The former diplomat spoke about the inevitability of alliances in winning the French presidency. He also noted that the presence of right-wing figures with significant political ambitions, such as Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally party, following Marine Le Pen's barring from running, would complicate Retailleau's task, as he will face a left-wing alliance with which he has considerable animosity and hostility.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
El Chorouk
19 hours ago
- El Chorouk
Parliament's International Work Conditional Upon Competence and Specialisation
The missions of the Council of the Nation abroad will be subject to strict regulatory control, as proposed in a new clause included in the draft bylaws of the council, currently under discussion. This control aims to better convey Algeria's voice and the state's positions, within the framework of what is called 'parliamentary foreign diplomacy,' and to counter attempts to distort them and mislead international public opinion. The clause stipulates the adoption of competency and specialisation criteria in selecting Council members participating in diplomatic missions and international parliamentary conferences, to improve the quality of representation and strengthen the presence of Algerian parliamentary diplomacy abroad. This proposal, which is expected to be included in the draft internal regulations of the upper house of parliament, falls within the framework of adopting more precise and rigorous criteria for selecting members of the Council of the Nation who participate in diplomatic missions and international parliamentary activities. It is also based on the principle of linking the MPs' specialisation with the nature of the task to which they are assigned, whether political, economic, legal, or technical, to ensure qualitative representation that reflects the competence of the parliamentary institution and its ability to interact constructively with issues raised in international forums. This approach is also expected to contribute to reducing previous imbalances in the composition of delegations and enhance the presence of the Algerian Council of the Nation as an effective and influential legislative body internationally. This draft, if officially adopted in the final version of the Council of the Nation's bylaws, aims to enhance the effectiveness of Algerian parliamentary diplomacy and direct it toward more professional performance that is integrated with the state's foreign policy. It is expected to contribute to unifying Algeria's discourse within international forums, ensuring that the positions of the representatives of the upper house are consistent with Algeria's official orientations, particularly concerning defending the country's sovereignty, protecting its strategic interests, and affirming its principles and positions on various regional and international issues under discussion on the global stage. In his speech following his election as Speaker of the Council of the Nation, Azouz Nasri, chairman of the Upper House of Parliament, replacing Saleh Goudjil, emphasised the growing importance of parliamentary diplomacy in the current regional and international context. He emphasised that the Council's representatives abroad are required to play a critical role that keeps pace with developments in the international scene and reflects the Algerian state's principles and sovereign positions. In his address, Nasri called for the need to enhance the level of participation of parliament members in international forums, not only in terms of attendance, but also in terms of influence and effective advocacy for the country's supreme interests. This directly intersects with the content of the proposed article to be included in the council's bylaws. It should be noted that the senators had recently reopened the file on the internal regulations of the upper house of parliament, seeking to finalise its provisions after the document had made significant progress during the term of the previous council's speaker. According to information previously published by Echorouk, the heads of parliamentary blocs in the lower chamber of parliament have re-raised this issue and made it a top priority, given its importance in organising and regulating parliamentary work, alongside the compensation issue, which is also receiving considerable attention within the council.
El Chorouk
20 hours ago
- El Chorouk
Appeals Pour In From Paris Before The Verdict In Sansal's Case
French authorities are exercising great caution in dealing with the case of the Franco-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, to avoid any potential escalation just days before the judicial decision on appeal is pronounced. Paris has leaned towards de-escalation for weeks, and the Minister of Interior, Bruno Retailleau, has completely disappeared from involvement in the crisis with Algeria, unlike before. He has been replaced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, with his diplomatic and calm remarks. Jean-Noël Barrot completely ignored the case of the Franco-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, during his appearance as a guest on the French news channel 'LCI' in what appears to be a calculated decision. This provoked the journalist who was interviewing him, as she directed a question to him about it, expressing her surprise that the French authorities had not addressed Sansal's case during its crucial days. The journalist embarrassed her country's foreign minister, saying: 'You addressed the issue of hostages in Iran, and the fleet breaking the siege on Gaza, but you did not utter a single word about the case of the writer Sansal, for whom the Public Prosecutor (at the Algiers Judicial Council) requested a ten-year prison sentence. Why this silence in the last hours?' Here, Jean-Noël Barrot responded in a language full of pleading and appeal: 'We look forward to a humanitarian gesture from the Algerian authorities towards the writer Sansal, taking into account his age and health condition, and we hope that this is what will happen,' this was said before the session for pronouncing the final decision at the Algiers Judicial Council, which is expected on Tuesday, July 1st. The French hope that the Algerian authorities will respond to the repeated appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron on more than one occasion, as well as from his foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot, before this dialogue. Meanwhile, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had settled the matter when he affirmed on more than one occasion that the file is in the hands of justice, which is sovereign and independent. In contrast, the French Foreign Minister revealed that the Algerian authorities allowed Sansal's lawyer to travel to Algeria to attend the verdict session, saying: 'His lawyer has arrived in Algeria to attend the trial session next Tuesday, and I hope there will be a humanitarian gesture.' Although the Parisian Foreign Minister defended the innocence of the Franco-Algerian writer: 'We have always said that there is no justification for keeping our citizen in prison.' The French official did not mention the name of Sansal's lawyer who traveled to Algeria, nor whether it was the former French ambassador to Denmark, François Zimeray, knowing that the Algerian authorities had reservations about his travel to Algeria and did not grant him a visa for that purpose. Therefore, he did not attend the preliminary session at the Dar El Beida court in the capital, nor did he attend the appeal session at the Algiers Judicial Council. François Zimeray presents himself as being in charge of defending Boualem Sansal, despite the accused having dismissed all his lawyers and decided to defend himself alone, according to what the head of the Bar Association, Mohamed Baghdadi, said earlier. Nevertheless, the lawyer insists that he is part of Sansal's defense team, commissioned by Gallimard publishing house, while Algerian law stipulates that the defense must be commissioned by the accused's family. This is the justification that the Algerian authorities may have relied on in not granting a visa to the French lawyer, in addition to Zimeray's stances on the Palestinian issue, which Algeria considers a red line. Algerian-French relations are showing a remarkable tendency towards de-escalation after nearly a year of severe political and diplomatic crisis not witnessed by the two capitals since independence. Economic visits between the two countries have resumed, and here we refer to the visit of Rodolphe Saadé, owner of the largest French shipping company (CMA CGM), to Algeria, and his reception by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, after the cancellation of the first visit that was scheduled for the first week of last April.
Jazairess
a day ago
- Jazairess
ميسي باريس سان جيرمان.. وجهاً لوجه
On Saturday, Senate Republicans narrowly voted to move forward with a comprehensive 1,000-page bill aimed at implementing President Trump's agenda, despite dissent from two GOP senators. The vote was 51-49. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) were the two Republicans who opposed advancing the package. Sen. Paul is against a provision that would increase the debt limit by $5 trillion, while Sen. Tillis is concerned that the legislation would reduce federal Medicaid funding for his state by $38.9 trillion. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) switched his vote from 'no' to 'aye,' and hesitant Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) also supported advancing the bill. The bill had suffered several significant setbacks in the days and hours before coming to the floor, at times appearing to be on shaky ground. The vote itself was also full of drama. Signs of trouble started to pop up 50 minutes after the vote opened when three GOP senators who had expressed misgivings about the bill — Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Lee and Scott — still hadn't showed up on the Senate floor. Three other Republican senators, Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Johnson, announced well in advance of the vote that they would oppose the motion to proceed and could not support the bill in its current form. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) stood along the back wall of the chamber — appearing somewhat nervous — waiting for his missing colleagues to arrive on the floor. Thune was surrounded by members of his leadership team, including Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), the deputy whip, and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. When Murkowski finally appeared on the floor, she was quickly surrounded by Thune, Barrasso, Graham and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), who barraged her on all sides with points and interjections. Then Murkowski walked away from the leadership group and sat down next to Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) to have a quiet tête-à-tête. Murkowski eventually voted in favor of advancing the measure, but the vote remained open. Almost three hours after the vote began, Johnson, Lee, Scott and Lummis walked out of Thune's office with Vice President Vance and headed to the Senate floor to cast the final votes to advance the bill. Earlier in the week, perhaps the most notable setback was a ruling by the Senate parliamentarian that a cap on health care provider taxes, which is projected to save billions of dollars in federal Medicaid spending, violated the Senate's Byrd Rule. GOP leaders were able to rewrite that provision for it to remain in the bill. And the legislation appeared in danger moments before vote, when Sen. Tim Sheehy, a freshman Republican from Montana, threatened to vote against the motion to proceed if the bill included a provision championed by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) directing the Interior Department to sell millions of acres of public lands. Sheehy agreed at the last minute to vote for the legislation after GOP leaders promised he would get a vote on an amendment to strip the language forcing the sale of public lands from the bill. In the end, Thune pulled off a major victory by moving the legislation a big step closer to final passage. Thune hailed the legislation Saturday as a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver legislation to create a safer, stronger and more prosperous America.' He cited $160 billion to secure the borders and beef up immigration enforcement and $150 billion to increase the Pentagon's budget, as well as an array of new tax cuts in addition to the extension of Trump's expiring 2017 tax cuts. He pointed to the bill's elimination of taxes on tips and taxes on overtime pay for hourly workers, as well as language allowing people to deduct auto loan interest when they buy a new car made in the United States. President Trump has set a July 4 deadline for Congress to get the bill to his desk. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) blasted his Republican colleagues for unveiling the 940-page Senate substitute amendment late Friday night, giving senators only a few hours to review the legislation before the vote. 'Hard to believe, this bill is worse, even worse than any draft we've seen thus far. It's worse on health care. It's worse on [the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.] It's worse on the deficit,' he said. Schumer slammed Republicans for advancing the bill before having an official budgetary estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. 'They're afraid to show how badly this will increase the deficit,' he said. 'Future generations will be saddled with trillions in debt.' A preliminary analysis by the Congressional Budget Office circulated by Senate Finance Committee Democrats Saturday estimates the bill will cut Medicaid by $930 billion, far more substantially than the legislation passed last month by the House. Tillis cited the impact on Medicaid as the reason he voted 'no' on the motion to proceed, and plans to vote 'no' on final passage. 'I cannot support this bill in its current form. It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities,' he said in a statement. 'This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population, and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population,' he warned. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a critical swing vote, said she voted to advance the legislation out of 'deference' to the GOP leader but warned that doesn't mean she will vote 'yes' on final passage. She said that Senate negotiators improved the legislation before releasing it Friday but added that she wants to make additional changes. 'Generally, I give deference to the majority leader's power to bring bills to the Senate floor. Does not in any way predict how I'm going to vote on final passage,' Collins told reporters. 'That's going to depend on whether the bill is substantially changed,' she said. 'There are some very good changes that have been made in the latest version but I want to see further changes and I will be filing a number of amendments.' Former senior White House adviser Elon Musk blasted the Senate bill on social media shortly before the vote, calling it full of 'handouts to industries of the past,' referring to the oil, gas and coal industries. 'The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country! Utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future,' he wrote on X, the social media platform he owns. Schumer told Democratic senators before the vote that he would force the clerks to read the entire 1,000-page bill on the Senate floor, which is estimated to take up to 12 hours and delay the start of debate and the start of a marathon series of amendment votes, known as a vote-a-rama. It's unclear whether Republican senators will keep the Senate in session overnight Saturday into Sunday morning to have the bill read aloud on the floor, an exhausting process for the Senate floor staff. An overnight reading of the bill would leave the clerks and floor staff weary before senators are scheduled to hold 20 hours of debate on the legislation and then launch into a multihour vote-a-rama.
