In the municipal and senatorial elections, the Right saved the furniture by keeping its large municipalities and two senator’s seats. Three months from the Departmental and Regional, the game promises to be tougher, Gard and Occitanie being historically on the Left. Interview with the boss of the Republicans of Gard, Franck Proust.
Objectif Gard: How does the Right approach the Departmental elections?
Franck Proust : We were promised hell at the Municipal and Senatorial. Except that today, the big winners remain my political family! Regarding the Departmental and Regional, it is not the same. Gard and Occitanie are mission lands. These communities are historically managed by the Left. So there is work to be done. A week ago, our departmental elected officials discussed the strategy and the program. We need three, four strong ideas. We gave ourselves until the beginning of April to finalize the applications.
In parallel, the party The Republicans preparing for internal elections …
Yes, they will probably be held on April 12. These elections will serve to renew our instances. This requires the re-election of the president of the federation. Our outgoing president, Christophe Rivenq, has again applied. Our activists will also have to choose their constituency delegates and their national advisers. All these elected officials will make up the new LR departmental committee. It is him who, in fine, will validate our candidates for Departmental.
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“The elected representative is a sort of district mayor”
In this department, the Right-Left cleavage is quite marked. This is one of your campaign arguments, isn’t it?
This cleavage is historic since we have never been in power in this department. In 2015, we almost won to one canton …
Precisely, the Right and the Center have 14 departmental councilors elected from 9 cantons. The challenge of your campaign will be to keep them, especially since the Left is now advancing as a united front …
The mistake would be to think with the old data. In Nîmes, whether there is a United Left or not, the elected representative is a sort of mayor of the arrondissement. For the past six years, our elected officials have led a constructive opposition under the leadership of our leader, Laurent Burgoa. It’s up to us to take stock but also to campaign to convince. Besides, it’s a real problem … To campaign is to go out and meet people. The use of social networks has its limits.
As in 2015, will your candidates leave under the banner of Common sense in Gard ?
The Nîmes candidates will have to conduct a double campaign. First departmental behind our head of the list (Richard Tibérino, editor’s note). They will develop their vision through social policy, regional planning or dependency on the elderly. Then, in large cities such as Nîmes and Alès, the elected representative will also be a member of a municipal majority. For us, cis an additional asset. In these big cities, there is a sort of electoral reflex.
Will there be an alliance between The Republicans and UDI (Union of Democrats and Independents) as in 2015?
Yes. We are in the process of building the team and looking for a communication agency.
This union is clouded by the division over the canton of Nîmes 1 …
Yes, the Nîmes deputies Julien Plantier and Sophie Roulle will face the outgoing elected Thierry Procida (the name of his partner is not yet known, editor’s note). It will be a kind of primary. You know, I too was elected to the Departmental as part of a primary. This was also the case in 2015 in the canton of Marguerittes.
Since you are talking about it, who will you support in the canton of Marguerittes? The Mayor, who is also your vice-president at Nîmes Métropole, Rémi Nicolas, is a candidate …
You have to be consistent. I have my hat of president of Nîmes metropolis but I am also departmental secretary of The Republicans. I will support the candidates of my political family, namely Jean-Jacques Granat and Marie-Pierre Tronc.
“We do not improvise candidate two months before an election”
In the Cévennes, in the cantons of Vigan, La Grand’Combe or Rousson, these territories are particularly difficult to gain for the Right …
Yes, there are still some cantons that pose a problem. These lands are historically on the Left. There are also personalities who cross political lines. The problem is that you don’t improvise yourself as a candidate two months before an election. Sometimes you have to accept losing. Campaigning is a commitment and an investment. People have to get to know you and that takes time.
You have been departmental secretary since 2017. Why was the work not done before?
We couldn’t do everything. Don’t forget that we had to pick up the pieces after the Presidential defeat. Then, we focused on the Municipal and Senatorial. Not to mention that the thematic meetings that we had launched were stopped by the health crisis …
Which cantons do you think are winnable?
There is an opening in Calvisson. We are going to invest the new mayor of Saint-Geniès-de-Malgoirès, Jean-François Durand-Coutelle, and the elected representative of Sommières, Sylvie Royo. Afterwards, I don’t have a crystal ball… The canton of Roquemaure can be taken, especially if the new mayor of Laudun goes with us. In the canton of Nîmes 2, Marc Taulelle and Carole Solana are a good pair.
“Aurélien Pradié, a fine ambassador of the Right to the Regionals”
Let’s move on to the Regional elections which will be held at the same time as the Departmental ones. The deputy of Lot, Aurélien Pradié, was named head of the Right wing list. A good choice ?
He is one of the new talents in our political family. He knows how to convey and defend our ideas. He is a fine ambassador of the Right. He is also courageous and is among those who believe that political battles are worth fighting. We all know that Aurélien Pradié does not play comfort in Occitanie. The game will be difficult. The important thing is to score to prepare for the future. The best possible score to be a strong opposition party preparing for the future.
In the Gard, you have three regional advisers. How many elected officials do you hope for?
The goal here too is first of all to keep them. Afterwards, if a good campaign is carried out we could hope to obtain a fourth elected in the Gard.
What will be the strategy for the campaign in Occitanie? Above all, what political space does the Right have?
The space of republicans, simply. I count on the panache of Aurélien Pradié. He should be present in the Gard at the beginning of April. He will begin his campaign with a meeting of elected officials and stakeholders in viticulture.
Finally, according to an Ifop survey commissioned by The Republicans, you are more popular than Christophe Rivenq. Your time in the European Parliament still marks the spirits?
It’s always a pleasure (smile). However, I look at it from a distance … It is a satisfaction yes, but once I said it, I already forgot it!
Interview by Coralie Mollaret
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