REPORT. "Bringing our voters back": Bruno Retailleau presents himself as a unifier just days before the election of the president of the Les Républicains party

The Minister of the Interior, who is competing against Laurent Wauquiez in the race for the presidency of the Republicans party, held his final rally on Sunday near Paris.

"Our goal is to bring back our voters who sometimes vote for Marine Le Pen, Eric Zemmour, Emmanuel Macron or who abstained," said Bruno Retailleau on Sunday, May 11, in Boulogne-Billancourt, in the Hauts-de-Seine department. This was the last major rally for the Minister of the Interior before the election on May 17 and 18 for the presidency of the Les Républicains party. The former senator from Vendée promised activists a "popular and patriotic" party that addresses "the France of honest people."

In front of a smitten audience of over 2,000, the candidate returned to his favorite themes: security, immigration, and a working France. His goal was also to shake up the right wing, with a view to the 2027 presidential election, which had a certain impact on the activists present.

In his campaign team, there is even talk of a "Retailleau effect" on membership. It has tripled in the last few months. Guillaume has just re-registered his LR card, which he handed in in 2017, put off by the party's divisions and lack of a project. "I haven't come home, even in 2022," he confides. But Bruno Retailleau seems more sincere to him, and especially more likely to lead the right to victory in 2027. "Even if he is rather considered, perceived and analyzed as a candidate to the right of the right, I think he still has a better chance of uniting more broadly, whereas Laurent Wauquiez has no chance," analyzes the activist.

Annick came from Sarthe to attend the Bouogne-Billancourt rally. When asked what really differentiates the two candidates, the retiree hesitates for a long time before dismissing Laurent Wauquiez : "He's not cut out for this, that's all. He's a very good regional president, but I don't see him having a party behind him to be president."

Some, on the other hand, are wondering about a possible ticket between their candidate and Edouard Philippe in 2027. Bruno Retailleau replied: "We are destined to have our LR banner" during this presidential election.