Les Républicains (LR) have been experiencing significant turmoil in recent weeks. It all started with the shock of the dissolution of the party, followed by the secession of the party’s president, Eric Ciotti, who surprised everyone by announcing an alliance with the far-right Rassemblement national (RN). This led to a power struggle among the party’s key figures to control the party. Ciotti, no longer having any influence within LR, has initiated a legal battle to remain at the helm and has stated his intention to have party members vote on the party’s political direction. Meanwhile, the group of Republicans in the Assembly has maintained 47 seats, amidst the three blocs without a majority.
According to Emilien Houard-Vial, a political science doctoral student at Sciences Po Paris, LR is currently maintaining a strategy of “constructive opposition” to the ruling party in order to “limit the damage”. Weakened by a decade of electoral decline and squeezed between the center and the far-right, the party needs to undertake a critical assessment and initiate a renewal both organizationally and programmatically if it wishes to govern again. Houard-Vial, who is researching the production and dissemination of ideology within the French right, believes that LR must undergo significant changes to adapt to the new political landscape.
Despite the alliance between LR president Eric Ciotti and the RN, as well as the new political scenario in the Assembly, LR has not yet altered its strategic direction significantly. Ciotti’s pact with the far-right was largely his own decision, as he was followed by only a few loyalists. This move can be seen more as a absorption of the Ciotti faction by the far-right rather than a true alliance. The remaining members of LR continue to maintain a centrist position towards Macronism, positioning themselves as a pivot force capable of supporting the center bloc in the Assembly without necessarily wanting to join a coalition government.
LR’s current stance reflects their strategy of staying on the fence and advocating for cooperation with the central bloc in the Assembly. This approach allows LR deputies more room for initiative, but they still position themselves as a pivotal force rather than actively seeking a place in a coalition government. The party’s reluctance to take a definitive stance postulates a continuation of their previous political direction. The situation within LR remains complex and uncertain, with the party navigating through the challenges posed by internal divisions and changes in the political landscape. As LR continues to grapple with these issues, the future direction of the party and its ability to govern effectively remain uncertain.
