Are we going to a remake of the War of the Rights in Paris? Less than twenty-four hours after Michel Barnier’s official announcement to compete in the partial legislative of the 2nd district of the capital, another heavyweight is about to announce its candidacy. And not just anyone: Rachida Dati, the current mayor of the 7th arrondissement (within the perimeter of the district concerned), Minister of Culture and candidate declared to the next municipal elections.
“She will assume her responsibilities in this partial which arrives unexpectedly. She asked to be heard by the Republicans’ inauguration committee, ”said her entourage after Parisian-today in France. More direct translation of an elected official with whom she has exchanged in recent hours: “Yes, Rachida wants to be a candidate, she organizes herself for. »»
Michel Barnier’s ambitions in this constituency are not unrelated to the situation. Tuesday, in the midst of the press conference of François Bayrou on public finances, the former Prime Minister LR, who does not hide his presidential ambitions, said on social networks that he intended to fight in this district without deputy since the outgoing macronist, Jean Lassucq, was declared ineligible by the Constitutional Council on July 11 for reasons of campaign.
“In the very serious moment when we are for our country (…) I decided to offer my candidacy for the by -election in the second district of Paris,” said Savoyard on network X, wanting to be part of a “right and center gathering approach”. When she discovered the message, Dati saw red.
Neither one nor two, the internal loops heated. Including Renaissance who receives this candidacy as a declaration of LR war to delight a seat to the presidential group led by Gabriel Attal. And for Rachida Dati, it is the shadow of a heavy goods vehicle in Paris which appears and which could, potentially, put sticks in the wheels for his candidacy for the municipal elections of March 2026.
“The second constituency cannot be a step for the presidential election”
“The second district cannot be a step for the presidential election, nor the instrument of national personal ambitions. Parisians expect alternation after years of reign of Anne Hidalgo, not to be used for 2027, “says an elected LR who denounces the parachuting of Barnier. “How is he going to campaign in a constituency of which he ignores everything about the issues?” He proclaimed his love of the mountain all his life, even saying to himself a distant mountain, I quote him, from the Parisian club, “attacks another. Atmosphere.
Dati and Barnier have known each other for a long time. They made a duo to the Europeans in 2009, they met in September 2024 when he was appointed to Matignon. In any case, this is a headache that the LR inauguration commission, chaired by Annie Genevard (also Minister of Agriculture), will have to resolve very soon.
If she is indeed a candidate, will Rachida Dati leave her functions as a minister? Behind the scenes, things accelerate to form a ticket (perhaps a rebirth as a replacement). After the decision of the Constitutional Council, on July 11, the election was to take place no later than mid-October.