2023-09-29 06:02:09
She has already almost left several times in recent years. But “out of loyalty”, she had stayed until now. The senatorial elections were the straw that broke the camel’s back. A few days after her re-election as senator of Essonne, Laure Darcos has just announced that she is leaving the Republican group. For this new six-year mandate, she will sit among the Independents at the Luxembourg Palace.
His decision didn’t really come as a surprise. On social networks, she is overwhelmingly praised. “I think I will have more freedom among the Independents, a group chaired by Claude Malhuret (Editor’s note: elected representative from Allier), whom I have known for 30 years and whose values I share,” explains the senator in a press release. In six years in office, the Republicans have only let me submit one report. I will be able to express myself more often on subjects that are close to my heart and to defend the municipalities of Essonne. »
The double nomination granted by the Republicans stuck in his throat. “While I am the only LR parliamentarian in my department and above all, the president of the LR federation of Essonne, the Les Républicains group, chaired by Bruno Retailleau, asked the national investiture commission to sponsor, in the face of me, a candidate (Editor’s note: Jean-Raymond Hugonet, of whom she was number 2 in 2017, also re-elected) who is not a member of this party, continues Laure Darcos. I suppose that this choice, incomprehensible to all our activists, invited me to take my freedom. »
“I see how my loyalty has been rewarded…”
A choice that she digested all the less since during the election for the presidency of the right-wing party at the end of 2022, she supported the candidacy of Bruno Retailleau, senator from Vendée. “While I was closer to Aurélien Pradié,” underlines the senator. But out of loyalty, I campaigned for Bruno Retailleau. I see how my loyalty has been rewarded…”
During the senatorial campaign, Jean-Raymond Hugonet, non-member and former president of the Union of Mayors of Essonne, recalled that he was related to the Republicans during his previous mandate. “The Republicans felt that I was not unworthy and gave me their support and their nomination,” he confided to Le Parisien a few days before his narrow re-election. I had suggested to Laure Darcos to go back with me, she declined. I remain committed to Bruno Retailleau and Gérard Larcher. »
Before making her decision public, Laure Darcos wanted to inform Gérard Larcher, the president (LR) of the Senate. “I spoke to him on the phone Monday morning, the day after the elections. It was very touching, confides the senator. I confirmed to him that my loyalty, my gratitude and my fidelity to him were intact. Moreover, I remain in the majority in the upper house of parliament, the Independents are a minority component. »
It is also intended to be reassuring for Essonne activists. “I continue to manage the federation of Republicans in Essonne, at least until the internal elections which must be held in November,” confirms Laure Darcos, close to Valérie Pécresse. I want to support them so that the rest goes well. I am staying with the family and there is no question of returning my LR card. I’m not going to the Independents hoping to get a place that the Republicans didn’t want to give me. I just think I have more platforms and time to express myself. »
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