Republican Leader Ciotti Ousted – Prepares to Fight

The French right-wing party Republicans' leader Éric Ciotti has been dismissed by the party during a crisis meeting. The reason is that Ciotti has opened up for direct and close cooperation with the far-right party National Rally in the forthcoming parliamentary election. But Ciotti refuses to resign and is ready to fight.

» Updated: July 16 2024

» Published: June 12 2024

Republican Leader Ciotti Ousted – Prepares to Fight
Photo: Stephane de Sakutin/Pool via AFP/TT

Share this article

The French right-wing party Republicans' leader Éric Ciotti has been dismissed by the party during a crisis meeting.

The reason is that Ciotti has opened up for direct and close cooperation with the far-right party National Rally in the upcoming parliamentary election.

But Ciotti refuses to resign and is ready to fight.

The Republicans will present candidates who are clear and independent for the French public, announced Annie Genevard, a member of parliament who participated in the party meeting where Ciotti was dismissed by a unanimous party board.

Genevard is expected to take over the leadership of the Republicans, likely in a shared leadership, reports the French news agency AFP.

Ciotti responded to the decision by challenging his party colleagues to a fight.

He wrote on the social media platform X that the crisis meeting was a flagrant breach of the party's statutes, and that the decision could have legal consequences.

"I am and remain the chairman of our political party, elected by the members!",

.

Closed party headquarters

The once great and governing conservative party Republicans seemed to implode on Wednesday after internal struggles.

The split was caused by Ciotti's announcement that the Republicans would initiate cooperation with the far-right party National Rally (RN) and its leading politician Marine le Pen. A decision that came ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election called by President Emmanuel Macron after the European Championship.

But leading politicians within the Republicans went mad over the announcement of a right-wing shift towards the xenophobic RN.

Before the meeting where Ciotti was dismissed, he had on Wednesday chosen to close down the Republicans' party headquarters in Paris and lock the doors to opponents within the party. Ciotti motivated the decision by saying that "threats had been received" and that he had to "protect the staff".

"Throw him out"

But opposition figures within the party who demanded Ciotti's immediate resignation had already made up their minds:

Ciotti was not the leader (of the Republicans) from the moment he took this crazy decision, said parliamentarian Aurélien Pradié to the French public service broadcaster France 2 before the meeting.

We will throw him out of the office that belongs to the descendants of (former President) Charles de Gaulle if we have to, said Pradié, who is considered one of the heavyweights within the Republicans.

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Israel Announces Flights to Humanitarian Zone in Khan Yunis
1 MIN READ

Israel Announces Flights to Humanitarian Zone in Khan Yunis

Norway Election Polls Show Red-Green Bloc Leading Over Høyre
2 MIN READ

Norway Election Polls Show Red-Green Bloc Leading Over Høyre

Man Killed in Rare Shark Attack at Sydney's Northern Beaches
1 MIN READ

Man Killed in Rare Shark Attack at Sydney's Northern Beaches

Europe Faces Autumn Crisis Amid Trump Tensions
3 MIN READ

Europe Faces Autumn Crisis Amid Trump Tensions

Trump Proposes Hosting Next G20 Summit at His Miami Golf Club
2 MIN READ

Trump Proposes Hosting Next G20 Summit at His Miami Golf Club

Serbian Police Clash with Protesters in Novi Sad Amid Election Demands
1 MIN READ

Serbian Police Clash with Protesters in Novi Sad Amid Election Demands

Trump Engages in Talks with Hamas for Israeli Hostage Release
1 MIN READ

Trump Engages in Talks with Hamas for Israeli Hostage Release

Trump Renames Defense Department to War Department
1 MIN READ

Trump Renames Defense Department to War Department

Lebanon Military Begins Plan to Disarm Hizbollah
1 MIN READ

Lebanon Military Begins Plan to Disarm Hizbollah

Eagle S Captain Denies Intentional Damage to Baltic Sea Cables
2 MIN READ

Eagle S Captain Denies Intentional Damage to Baltic Sea Cables

Trump Deploys 10 F-35 Fighter Jets to Puerto Rico Amid Drug War
2 MIN READ

Trump Deploys 10 F-35 Fighter Jets to Puerto Rico Amid Drug War

WHO Declares Mpox No Longer a Global Health Crisis
1 MIN READ

WHO Declares Mpox No Longer a Global Health Crisis

Sweden's Foreign Minister Meets Zelenskyj to Boost Pressure on Russia
1 MIN READ

Sweden's Foreign Minister Meets Zelenskyj to Boost Pressure on Russia

IAGS Faces Backlash Over Gaza Genocide Resolution
4 MIN READ

IAGS Faces Backlash Over Gaza Genocide Resolution

UK Government Reshuffle: Angela Rayner Resigns, David Lammy Becomes Justice Minister
2 MIN READ

UK Government Reshuffle: Angela Rayner Resigns, David Lammy Becomes Justice Minister

Israeli Military Targets Gaza High-Rises Used by Hamas
1 MIN READ

Israeli Military Targets Gaza High-Rises Used by Hamas

UN Report: Congo Violence Could Be War Crimes
1 MIN READ

UN Report: Congo Violence Could Be War Crimes

Anutin Charnvirakul Elected as Thailand's New Prime Minister
1 MIN READ

Anutin Charnvirakul Elected as Thailand's New Prime Minister

Finland Joins UN Declaration for Peaceful Gaza Solution
1 MIN READ

Finland Joins UN Declaration for Peaceful Gaza Solution

Hamas Releases New Video of Israeli Hostages Amid Ongoing Conflict
2 MIN READ

Hamas Releases New Video of Israeli Hostages Amid Ongoing Conflict