Invited on LCI this Monday morning, François-Xavier Bellamy confirmed that Bruno Retailleau had no intention of giving up his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election. The LR MEP defends an independent right wing, open to a primary, and directly challenges Édouard Philippe to accept the competition.
“There is no prospect of backing down. Bruno Retailleau is determined to see this through; he will carry on with his project,” François-Xavier Bellamy asserted. He reiterated that the president of the Republicans has always stated his willingness to participate in a primary election to choose between the right-wing and centrist candidates.
Bellamy directly challenges Édouard Philippe , who is currently rejecting this option. "What is he afraid of?" he asks, arguing that "this country needs a right wing that embraces its right-wing identity." For the MEP, the goal isn't to forge numerous alliances of convenience: "To win an election, what matters isn't simply adding up votes. The French people aren't an electoral base."
"Marine Le Pen is not going to win"
François-Xavier Bellamy also believes that Marine Le Pen is not in a position to win the presidential election. "She is showing that she cannot win, she will not win," he asserts, judging that she risks instead helping the candidate who opposes her in the second round to be elected.
The MEP from the Republicans party also defends maintaining French support for Ukraine . "Of course we must support Ukraine," he affirms, considering it both a duty and a direct security issue for France and Europe.
This intervention confirms the strategy of the Republicans: to install Bruno Retailleau as the candidate of a clearly identified right, distinct from both Macronism, the National Rally and the left, while maintaining pressure on Édouard Philippe around the idea of a primary.
