The **Minister of the Interior** and newly appointed leader of the **Les Républicains** Party (LR), Bruno Retailleau, announced on May 20 his intention to appoint the former Prime Minister **Michel Barnier** as president of the National Council of the Party. According to information from Figaro, confirmed by The World, this appointment must still be validated by the Party’s **Political Bureau**.
“The very right-handed LR line is likely to constitute a glass ceiling in the first round of the presidential election”
In choosing the former **Brexit negotiator** for this influential role, Retailleau makes a significant first move since winning the presidency of the Republicans against rival **Laurent Wauquiez**. With a decisive victory of **74.3%** against **25.7%**, over 120,000 LR members expressed their confidence in the Vendéen, aged 64, who has revitalized a party that was struggling just a year ago. **Participation** in the election reached over **80%**.
Article reserved for our subscribers Bruno Retailleau, barely elected president of LR, wants to launch major works
“First Craftsman” of a Right Victory in 2027
At 74, **Michel Barnier** is a prominent figure in the right-wing party. He has served multiple times as a minister under Presidents **François Mitterrand**, **Jacques Chirac**, and **Nicolas Sarkozy** before transitioning to Brussels as a **European Commissioner** and chief negotiator for **Brexit**. He briefly held the position of Prime Minister for three and a half months at the end of 2024.
Retailleau expressed his ambition to be “the **first craftsman**” of a right-wing victory in the upcoming presidential election, although he did not explicitly state his candidacy. He acknowledged the importance of preparing for **2027**. When questioned on Cnews and Europe 1, he stated, “It’s difficult to imagine not thinking about 2027.”
He emphasized that the party must be proactive in developing a project that is “not lukewarm, not a quick fix, but a complete overhaul.” Retailleau stressed that he has not done it all just to **abdicate** and allow the party to follow a specific color scheme.
During the internal campaign for party leadership, Retailleau expressed support for holding an **internal primary** to select the party’s candidate for the **Elysée Palace**, advocating that the vote should be limited to party members. This position has sparked debate within the party, particularly with figures like David Lisnard, the president of the **Association of Mayors of France (AMF)**, who favors an open primary and has reiterated his intention to participate.
Article reserved for our subscribers “Bruno Retailleau galvanizes his troops by waving the same mirage as his predecessors, that of a right capable of re-existing by itself”