CÔTE-D’OR: Review of regional, divisions in Dijon, Republican presidential candidate, legislative preparation … the files of François-Xavier Dugourd’s political re-entry
The president of the departmental federation of republicans returns to the latest electoral results and projects himself in the direction of the deadlines. This Thursday, September 23, he ensures that the climate has “calmed down” after “strategic differences” appeared during the regional.
“Overall, our movement has held up rather well,” says François-Xavier Dugourd as a review of the departmental and regional elections at the time of the political re-entry and the preparation of the new deadlines.
Asked by Dijon Info this Thursday, September 23, 2021, the president of the Côte-d’Or federation of the Republicans party highlights “a bonus for graduates”, the thirteen regional presidents having been renewed.
“First party” of local elected officials
“We are the leading party in France, undoubtedly, in terms of local elected officials,” says François-Xavier Dugourd. Laurent Wauquiez, Valérie Pécresse and Xavier Bertrand were re-elected with “quite impressive scores”. “Gilles Platret had the best score of the candidates who were conquering all the Regions of France”, underlines the one who was elected regional councilor of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and now sits as an opponent of Marie-Guite Dufay.
“Gilles [Platret] would be an excellent Regional President. Today, the regional councils have very important competences, in particular in matters of economy, mobility, transport. These are really fundamental levers for our country. When you see what a certain number of regional presidents – on the right and on the left – are doing, who are completely transforming their territory, who are driving a strong dynamic and who are compared with Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, I am afraid that we sleep again and we have left for seven years of inaction. While with the talent that Gilles has [Platret], I think that there would have been an in-depth transformation of regional policy and that, really, we would have taken advantage of all the assets of our region, which are immense and today under-exploited. It is the voters’ choice, it must be respected. Now, we are preparing the rest, ”analyzes François-Xavier Dugourd.
“Today, the climate has calmed down”
The agreement concluded by Gilles Platret with the regional representatives of Debout La France, the sovereignist party of Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, provoked a clash with François Sauvadet, whose relatives left the list.
“With François, we’ve been working together for years, I’ve been his first vice-president for a number of years, now I’m deputy vice-president, we get along perfectly well. We had this divergence on the regional list but, on the other hand, a complete agreement on the departmental where I supported all the candidates of the departmental majority. On a set chosen these candidates. There is not a single cigarette leaf between us, ”explains the departmental councilor elected for the canton of Dijon 1.
The president of the federation refutes any idea of different “currents” within the Republicans of Côte-d’Or following these regions but recognizes that “strategic differences” have been triggered. “Today, the climate has calmed down. It took a bit of time and discussion. There is the time for the campaign and there is the time for action within the various communities ”.
“We are working to win back the French”
A party of the Republicans took place in Chalon-sur-Saône by bringing together the departmental federations of the region to both thank the militants and unite the troops. Meetings in Côte-d’Or will take place in early October at the constituency level.
“We are the only party to have such a large network of activists,” said the president. The Côte-d’Or federation claims 800 up-to-date members, “unlike a movement like En Marche, it’s clicks, it’s virtual, it doesn’t really exist”. The federation can also boast of having a deputy – Rémi Delatte on the second constituency – and a senator – Alain Houpert – from its ranks.
“Nevertheless, the situation is not euphoric”, concedes François-Xavier Dugourd, “we are fully aware of the global disaffection of the political class by the French and of the work that we have to do to reconquer a great part of the population, especially the young population ”. “We are building a project, we are working to win back the French,” he adds.
“The emergence of the Zemmour phenomenon is not trivial, it is a real signal”, reacts François-Xavier Dugourd while part of the youth shows its interest in the polemicist by pasting posters with his effigy. At this stage of the debates, the Republican considers Eric Zemmour’s proposals as “incomplete”.
The president of the federation notes “an active breeding ground” of young activists on the campus of the University of Burgundy but deplores that they are volatile as they continue their studies. François-Xavier Dugourd also notes “a real deficit of women” among the militants. “On a huge job to do”. The Republicans’ point of view on the subjects of education and the environment will not have enough influence to attract young people.
A “renewed” team for a work-study project in Dijon in 2026
At the Dijon level, a new news item has been created within the Republicans with a division of the opposition group of the right and the center into three (read our article). Here again, François-Xavier Dugourd refutes any split: “it is largely a question of the internal functioning of the group and perhaps of the management of the group, (…) it should not be seen as ideological differences either. The Republicans are only partially concerned, the group is composite, there are different political sensitivities ”.
“I really regret what is happening but we must not give it an excessive importance, it is a reorganization of the municipal opposition”, analyzes François-Xavier Dugourd who prefers to project himself towards the municipal municipal authorities.
“The question is how, for 2026, the right and the center are going to be able to offer a strong work-study project, with a largely renewed team, with talents that should perhaps also be sought from there. ‘outside the municipal group, by associating it of course, with young people in particular, ”explains the president of the federation.
“At the level of the majority, if the facade is presentable, if we dig a little and we listen, it would seem that it is not that uniform and that in particular, the ‘war of succession’ is a little open between Nathalie Koenders and Antoine Hoareau [NDLR : socialistes, respectivement première adjointe et adjoint au maire de Dijon]. There are fairly strong currents which seem not necessarily in perfect harmony, ”slips the Republican.
A “single candidate” for the presidential election
At the national level, on September 25, the LR militants had the choice between an open primary or a congress to nominate their candidate for the presidential election of 2022. They chose a congress where the vote will be limited to the members of the Republicans but the candidatures open to personalities outside the party. A method that will allow Valérie Pécresse (Libres) and Xavier Bertrand (independent) to participate. The other candidates are Michel Barnier, Éric Ciotti and Philippe Juvin.
The formula of the congress had the preference of François-Xavier Dugourd: “it gives value to the membership to a political party, it is a fair return of things compared to the militant commitment”.
As president of a federation, he will not give voting instructions but, “in a personal capacity”, he recognizes an interest in Michel Barnier’s approach. However, he ensures that he organizes “in the most equitable way possible” with the departmental secretary the time of the debates in order to allow members to form their own opinion.
“There is the absolute need to have a single candidate,” insists François-Xavier Dugourd. That is to say a single personality able to federate the votes of conservatives and liberals or even Christian democrats. “If we do otherwise, it’s suicidal for our movement. (…) We must win this presidential election, it is the main objective. We will have to put aside some bitterness, even some grudges, to find the best or the best. (…) I am convinced that it is extremely open, including to win this election ”, he assures us.
Public debate-time meetings will be open to everyone, including non-Republicans in order to build momentum for the presidential campaign itself. “We are in a somewhat flashy campaign, we can clearly see a certainty of the electorate”, notes François-Xavier Dugourd. The candidate should be nominated by early.
“Real chances” in the legislative elections
“Taking into account the frequentation of the political offer, we will live from the presidential elections which will be a little different from the usual pattern of the Fifth Republic”, analyzes François-Xavier Dugourd who envisages a potential “disconnection” between the presidential and the presidential elections. legislative (which will happen two months later).
Between the deputies who left En Marche and those who are “discredited”, François-Xavier anticipates an opportunity for the Republicans during these legislative elections. “The Macronist party goes from failure to failure in local elections.”
The candidates will be selected by the national investiture commission of the republicans in consultation with the presidents and secretaries of the federation as well as with the parliamentarians of the territory. The process will last from October to December. At the latest, in January, the candidates will be known.
“I have not yet made my decision”, indicates – after a moment of hesitation and a smile – the one who was re-elected to the departmental in the canton of Dijon 1 which is part of the first constituency of Côte-d ‘ Gold .
“It seems that I have some legitimacy in this territory. (…) I am waiting to discuss with the members, with the elected representatives of the constituency ”. Locally, the president of the federal federation that the Republicans have “a real chance” of victories over the first, second and fourth constituencies.
Jean-Christophe Tardivon