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Audience ratings certified by ACPM/OJD. #Covid-19 #Africa Cup of Nations 2021 France Africa International Science & Technology Culture (BUTTON) 1. 2. / France French presidential election 2022 French conservative party to pick presidential candidate at closed conference Issued on: 27/09/2021 - 18:10 French president of Les Hauts de France region and candidate for the 2022 French presidential elections Xavier Bertrand gives a speech during a campaign meeting in Chinon, central western France on August 25, 2021. French president of Les Hauts de France region and candidate for the 2022 French presidential elections Xavier Bertrand gives a speech during a campaign meeting in Chinon, central western France on August 25, 2021. AFP - JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER Text by: RFI Follow 2 min Members of the French conservative political party - Les Républicains, (LR) - will not hold a primary to designate their 2022 presidential candidate, but will choose their candidate during a closed conference on 4 th of December. Advertising (BUTTON) (BUTTON) Read more Fifty-eight percent of LR members are in favour of holding a congress at which only up-to-date fee paying members will have a say in who represents them in the 2022 presidential race. The result in the electronic vote held on Friday and Saturday comes as good news for Xavier Bertrand, who is currently ahead in opinion polls, and who is against the idea of holding an open primary. Those who were in favour of a primary – namely Valérie Pécresse and Michel Barnier - may well be frustrated by this latest turn of events, but have agreed to toe the line. To be in the running, each candidate must garner 250 signatures. In addition, as part of the selection process, anyone whose platform does not conform to traditional party values can be excluded. This newly added clause is designed to prevent the participation of candidates such as the far-right pretender, Eric Zemmour, who “is not a part of our political family,” Christian Jacob, president of the LR party told the press. Party divisions Jacob said that the principal reason to hold such a vote is to “avoid division". He added that “a closed debate would allow all members to unite behind one candidate.” “Party members no longer want to have an open vote, because they have bad memories of their previous experience. They want to take back their power to choose,” Rémy Lefebvre, political science teacher in Lille, explained to France Info. In 2016, the LR primary proved a popular option with more than four million votes cast in both rounds, handing a landslide victory to François Fillon with 66 percent, in a battle with Alain Juppé. However, it spelled the beginning of an irreparable division in the party. Several members such as Edouard Philippe, Bruno Le Maire, Gérald Darmanin decided to split and join Emmanuel Macron. Pascal Perrineau, professor at Sciences Po says Xavier Bertrand, who is currently the president of the Hauts-de-France regional council, will have an advantage over his rivals. Even if he officially left the LR party in 2017, Bertrand has always consistently maintained his opposition to a primary, an act that allows him “to send a clear message to the Republicans”. Bertrand, Pécresse and Barnier will be joined by Eric Ciotti and Philippe Juvin in the potential line-up. The only thing that will set them apart from one another will be their performance in the opinion polls, says Lefebvre. Chaotic history Although Bertrand remains ahead of the others with between 15 and 17 percent of voter intentions, analysts believe that this is not enough to take him through to a second round in the future presidential race, which is beginning to resemble that of 2017; a duel between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen. In a poll published on Sunday by the Journal du Dimanche, 63 percent of LR supporters said they thought Bertrand had a chance to beat Macron in the 2022 line-up, compared to 11 percent for Barnier, and 8 percent for Pécresse. “Bertrand is perceived to be the one who can beat his adversaries,” says Frédéric Dabi, the director general of the Ifop polling group which carried out the JDD survey. “In light of the fact that supporters on the right lost the last two elections, and witnessed a chaotic history of late, this could be his trump card.” Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning Subscribe Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app * Presidential election 2022 * French politics * Opinion polls * Vote * Elections Related content FRANCE France fends off criticism of Macron's final budget before re-election bid French elections Le Pen downplays rift with Zemmour as she begins run for French presidency FRENCH POLITICS Macron's popularity creeps up thanks to approving older folk On the same topic Métro Paris Transport 15/01/2022 Paris metro extention honours illustrious French women Christiane Taubira - Croix-rousse - Lyon - présidentielle 2022 Presidential election 2022 15/01/2022 Former justice minister Christiane Taubira joins France's presidential race Jean-Louis Peries Paris Cour d'Assises Paris attacks trial 15/01/2022 Confusion and contradiction as terrorist accused says one thing while thinking another 000_9RD6M2 FRANCE - ENERGY 14/01/2022 French nuclear power push sends energy giant EDF into downward spiral 000_9R263N PARIS ATTACKS TRIAL 14/01/2022 Paris attacks suspect returns to the box but keeps vow of silence France Paris COVID-19 IN FRANCE 14/01/2022 France changes Covid school rules following massive teachers' strike 000_8WV3GY COVID-19 IN FRANCE 14/01/2022 Paris reverses outdoor mask rule as Omicron saturation fears recede 000_9W4339 Covid-19 in France 13/01/2022 Massive French strike over Covid rules shows teachers at breaking point 2022-01-05T123031Z_1465371302_RC2ZSR93LG5J_RTRMADP_3_HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS -FRANCE COVID-19 IN FRANCE 13/01/2022 French Health Minister Olivier Véran tests positive for Covid ម៉ូហាម៉េដ អាប្រ៊ីនី ដែល​ប៉ូលិស​អឺរ៉ុប​តាមចាប់អស់ ៥ខែ​ក្រោយ​ភេរវកម្ម​ក្រុង​ប៉ារីស​ត្រូវ​បាន​ប៉ូលិស​ចាប់ខ្លួន​នៅថ្ងៃ​សុក្រ ​ទី​៨​មេសា ២០១៦ PARIS ATTACKS TRIAL 13/01/2022 Paris attacks accused Mohamed Abrini shrugs off damning evidence Covid França COVID-19 IN FRANCE 12/01/2022 Fed up French teachers stage 'historic' strike over school Covid rules Proces-du-13-Novembre-Mohamed-Abrini-justifie-les-attentats PARIS ATTACKS TRIAL 12/01/2022 Paris attacks suspect refuses to condemn killers, sympathises with victims, families Page not found (BUTTON) The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.