Legislative elections in Paris: Former Prime Minister Michel Barnier urges Rachida Dati to "not make a mistake" in the election

The former Prime Minister is asking the Minister of Culture to "choose the right path." Rachida Dati has "a legitimate ambition" for the Paris mayoralty and must "not make a mistake" in her election by also running for the legislative elections in the capital's second constituency, Michel Barnier commented on Saturday, August 2.

The Minister of Culture announced her candidacy for this by-election on Monday, launching hostilities against the former Prime Minister, who is running for the same deputy position and represents the same party, LR.

"I want Parisians to be able to vote for someone rather than against them. It's up to Rachida Dati, who has a legitimate ambition to lead unity lists in Paris, to make no mistake and choose the right path," Michel Barnier, nominated by LR as a candidate for this legislative session, commented in La Tribune Dimanche .

"I'm not a candidate for anything other than the parliamentary seat," insists the short-lived former Prime Minister. "Rachida Dati knows this. I told her and I even wrote to the members of Les Républicains (...) There's no ambiguity about that," he adds, saying he's ready to support the minister in her race for City Hall.

People close to the mayor of the 7th arrondissement, who was sent to trial on July 22 for corruption and influence peddling, fear that Michel Barnier also has ambitions for the Paris mayoralty if she cannot run. They also accuse him of being "parachuted in."

"It's been more than twenty-five years since I voluntarily left my position in Savoie," he replies. "I've been a Parisian for more than twenty years. I've lived in this constituency for more than twelve years."

These rivalries risk leading to a new fratricidal war, something that Les Républicains is accustomed to. To try to avoid this, LR hopes to reach an agreement with Rachida Dati "by the start of the school year."

Asked about the ambitions that some attribute to him for 2027, Michel Barnier reiterates that he will be "present in the public debate" for the presidential and legislative elections.