She launched her appeal for donations a few hours after her heavy failure (4.78% of the vote) in the first round of the presidential election. Valérie Pécresse, the Republican (LR) candidate, has already collected 1.4 million euros, according to Le Figaro. Information confirmed to Le Parisien by Senator Philippe Mouiller, treasurer of Valérie Pécresse’s campaign, “It’s rather satisfactory, especially for a week. We are rather on a good slope, but we must continue, ”he says.
The candidate had asked her supporters to help her repay the 7 million loans taken out for her campaign. According to the law, public reimbursements can only be made from 5% of the vote. The appeal for donations from the ex-candidate must extend until May 15.
On Twitter, supporters of the failed candidate continue to call for donations. Like Senator Bruno Retailleau or the mayor of Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes) David Lisnard.
Savings in sight
The Republicans will have to save money, warned LR treasurer Daniel Fasquelle. “The 2022 budget is solid but we must find room for maneuver to help legislative candidates,” said Daniel Fasquelle, who will work on a savings plan. For the June legislative elections, he still intends to help each candidate up to 5,000 euros, he said, promising that “the objective of 5,000 euros will be met”.
The LR treasurer explained to the JDD that he had budgeted “8 million for the presidential and legislative elections”, “given 5.5 million euros to Valérie Pécresse and agreed to lend 2.5 million euros”. The loaned part “will not be reimbursed” by the State since the party ended up below the 5% mark in the first round of the presidential election, he recalled.
If this “does not call into question our budgetary balance”, it is necessary to find around 3 million euros to help the candidates in the legislative elections, he specified.