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Bertrand and the primaries.


Ken
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I have a question for the more informed (political wise!) posters here.

I cannot understand how Bertrand can not take part in his parties primary elections and yet still remain a contender (with his party) for the Presidential elections. I understand that primaries are not a requirement by law to select a candidate but wonder why they go through the procedure if the one selected is then turfed out and Bertrand becomes the candidate!

I have looked at links until my head is buzzing and none explain this anomaly, at least. None that I can understand! I would like someone to explain it to me please in as simple terms as possible. Please don’t send a link; I would appreciate a persons own explanantion.

I cannot understand how the party will hold primary elections to select a presidential candidate and then, at their congress, presumably, select Bertrand!

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Bertrand is not a member of the Republican Party; he is of the Right. However he was a Republican minister under Sarkozy(?).

So, the Republicans could select a candidate of their own and eventually divide the vote of the Right letting in Macron again.

Some Republicans have offered Bertrand their support however.
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Thanks for that but---

Now I'm totally bemused! If he isn't a member of the Republican Party which party is he a member of?

Given, that he is a member of some party or other, then again I ask how come he can say he won't take part in the primaries (of whatever party!!) I don't think he is an 'independent' as if he were then he wouldn't have to say he isn't taking part in the primaries!!

I tried to find out which party he no belongs to but the best I could come up with is that he won the regional whilst a member of the Republicans and that was only a few weeks ago!!!
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Where is it "Given that he is a member of some party or other"?

Please provide a link with that information rather than resorting to speculation.

n ,

il est annoncé que Xavier Bertrand ne paie plus ses cotisations aux

Républicains depuis l'élection présidentielle
en raison de l'absence de

consignes de vote claires de son parti en faveur d'Emmanuel Macron

contre Marine Le Pen Il annonce son départ de LR le , au lendemain de l'élection à la présidence du mouvement de Laurent Wauquiez, tenant d’une ligne plus à droite que la sienne

Il exclut de se soumettre à une primaire de la droite, estimant que sa primaire « sera le scrutin régional des Hauts-de-France

Further information on the potential primaire

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He is apparently standing as an independent:

"

Xavier Bertrand, cavalier solitaire

Le patron des

Républicains a également appelé les différents candidats de son parti et

ceux qui n'en sont pas (ou plus) membres "à la responsabilité" et à se

"mettre d’accord". Il "ne peut pas y avoir deux candidats de la droite

et du centre", a-t-il martelé. 

Le message était notamment destiné

à Xavier Bertrand, réélu fin juin à la tête de la région des

Hauts-de-France et candidat déclaré à la présidentielle, mais plus

membre des Républicains
. Sur TF1 mardi soir, Xavier Bertrand a pourtant

assuré qu'il ne sera "pas candidat une primaire" de la droite.

"La

primaire n’a pas laissé que des bons souvenirs à droite et a été source

de divisions", a-t-il argué, "à chaque fois, vous avez les différences

qui deviennent, des divisions et pour beaucoup de nos concitoyens, pour

beaucoup d’électeurs de la droite et du centre, on voit bien que ce sont

bien plus souvent des machines à perdre". Il a également assuré n'être

candidat qu'à "un mandat unique pour vraiment redresser le pays sans

contraintes et sans calculs".

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He is of course gambling that Republicans will back him over the mediocre bunch of personalities presently up for the Party choice.

He doesnt need to have a Party but if he gets to run against Macron and Le Pen then he certainly will need a Party machine to do the heavy lifting.

Thus far, he is at 18%, Macron at 20 odd. Others below that. LePen is the fox in the hen house, of course.
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There was a sondage in May (so well before the Régionales) which gave Marine 27%, Macron 25%, Bertrand 14%, Melenchon 12% et Barnier (not known at that point whether he would run or not) just 6%.

My guess is that Barnier is coming up on the inside and that Bertrand is afraid of facing him in a primaire. I think it worth noting that Barnier is LR.
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Yes, indeed 'out of sight out of mind' may apply to Barnier, but I have seen a lot of him on TV this year. He has also been giving lots of interviews, e.g. Sunday's JDD, which led with the quote "Je sais pouvoir rassembler les talents de la droite et du centre".

Could it be that being away from French politics for a long time might be an advantage? Why so few voters in the Regionales? LR were the big winners in those Regionales.

His CV is remarkable: Deputy 1978-1993, four times Minister 1993-1995-1997 & 2004-2005 & 2007-2009 (Environment, European Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture under Mitterand, Chirac & Sarkozy), in between (1997-1999) a Senator, and (1999-2004) EU Commissioner for Regional Politics. Then 2014-2014 EU Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services & 2016-19 chief Brexit negotiator.

Brexit has never been as big in the media here as in the UK, but I still saw his name (and his face on TV) fairly frequently during the negotiations, always 'gently' batting for France.

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Weggie:

O.k;, you have said he is 'apparently' an independent. I can go with that but is he?

I ask because he has categorically said that he won't take part in any primaries! For me that means he is part of , at least, a group who vote for a candidate! Is he independent?

If he isn't in any way in a party why would he say that he isn't taking part in any primaries, he wouldn't have to would he?

You and Banana are trying to help with my confusion. Others are asking for rather stupid links!!!

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Ken, be nice, svp!

He has said that he will not take part in the primaries of the Republican Party of which he is no longer a member. This means that they could put up a candidate of their own meaning that there would be two candidates on the Right, which would suit Macron who claims Centre Left and Centre Right voters, so he says, though he seems to have moved to the right to counter LePen. It would then all depend on small margins on the Right as to who made it to the second round.
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He is independent of any party, but those who support him will be in part members of Les Républicans.

There is no obligation for a party to hold primaires, but there is a temptation to try and pull together the candidates from LR and independents of a similar shade of opinion in order to present a single canditate nad a united front. A link in my previous post dealt with this to a certain extent.

Bertand said that he would not take part in any primaires, saying that the regional elections he won were a  sufficient plebiscite, and has already declared him self as a candidate for 2022.

On a general point I don't agree that links can be 'stupid'.
They can provide information about an issue, or evidence for a point of view.
You said that "Given, that he is a member of some party or other"

I asked for  a link to the source of that opinion. If it is wrong or a mistake just say so, if it correct provide the evidence.

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Dear Banana,

I am always nice, at least until confronted with pompous people!!

Thank you for clearing up my original question. So, Bertrand is no longer a republican, I didn't know that. i.e; he is an independent and that is why he doesn't have to be part of any primaries.

The intricacies of the voting system I can understand it was simply the 'Bertrand' question that confused me. That, you have now clarified. thank you. Presumably, along the way he will gather around him the machinery to stand as a presidential candidate.

I hope he makes it.
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