David Lisnard, Cannes mayor and New Energy candidate, rejects centrist-right talks, calling Macron's appointee Édouard Philippe part of the problem, not the solution.
Lisnard criticizes Philippe's political background
David Lisnard, the mayor of Cannes and a presidential candidate for the New Energy party, criticized Édouard Philippe, the mayor of Le Havre and a candidate for the Horizons party. Lisnard questioned Philippe’s political legitimacy, suggesting that his selection was the result of "arrangements between notables" rather than democratic processes.Lisnard rejects the idea of a central bloc
Lisnard denied any alignment with a so-called "central bloc" of centrist and right-wing politicians. He explicitly stated that he does not support the far-right National Rally (RN) or the left, emphasizing that he is not part of any coalition that would bring those groups together.Lisnard challenges Philippe's qualifications
He criticized Philippe for being part of the political establishment that, in his view, contributed to the country’s current challenges. Lisnard questioned whether Philippe’s qualifications for being a presidential candidate should be based on his attendance at the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA), a prestigious French public service training school.Lisnard proposes a new selection process
Lisnard humorously suggested a "Parcoursup of presidents," referencing the French college admissions system. He proposed an open primary where any candidate could run and any voter could participate, contrasting with the current selection methods used by political parties.Philippe remains uninterested in the idea
Despite Lisnard’s call for a more inclusive selection process, Philippe does not seem interested in the idea. Current polling suggests that Philippe leads among right-wing and centrist candidates, indicating that he may not feel the need to engage in such a process.
