LR ex-Numéro 2 denounces “multiple legal irregularities” and “political maneuvers”. His candidacy had been rejected by party authorities, a decision that had been invalidated by justice.
Le Monde with AFP
Virginie Calmels throws in the towel. In the Sunday of October 2, The ex-Numéro 2 des Républicains (LR) declares that she renounces to present herself at the head of the party, denouncing a ballot ” biased “.
On August 29, the High Authority for LR had rejected Ms. Calmels’s candidacy, arguing that she was not up to date as a contribution to July 22, 2022. The decision has since been invalidated by the justice, but another Difficulty had then arose, Virginie Calmels requesting the postponement of the ballot dates, scheduled for December 3 and 4 for the first round, in order to have time to campaign – what LR refused.
“Not wishing to endorse these multiple legal irregularities and these political maneuvers by my participation in this election, I decided to withdraw, she declares to the JDD. p>
She also announces her desire not to participate in the campaign, whose declared candidates are the deputy of the Alpes-Maritimes Eric Ciotti, the boss of the Senators LR Bruno Retailleau, the secretary general of LR, Aurélien Pradié, and the mayor d’Orléans, Serge Grouard. She will not support any candidate. “The political line that I defend will no longer be represented. One thing is certain: I will not be on the side of those who advocate the union of the lines and want to make the republican right an an supplier of Marine Le Pen or Éric Zemmour.”
“sand grain”
According to Virginie Calmels, “some shoot the strings behind the scenes to install Eric Ciotti at the head of the party and immediately proclaim Laurent Wauquiez candidate of LR in the presidential election of 2027. My candidacy was a grain of sand in the cogs of a scenario that wanted to be oiled. “
of liberal sensitivity, Ms. Calmels is a former assistant of Alain Juppé in Bordeaux. She claims to have wanted, by presenting herself, to defend “a line which is at the epicenter of the lines, equidistant of Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron”.
Ex-Numéro 2 de LR, she had been dismissed in June 2018 by Laurent Wauquiez, then party patron, and in open conflict with her. Former director general of Endemol Monde, Virginie Calmels had joined in 2019 the luxury real estate group Barnes and launched in 2020 a digital school.