Newly-elected Renew Europe Group President Valérie Hayer would be the French liberal lead candidate for upcoming EU elections, Euractiv has learnt, confirming media reviews over the weekend.
Hayer, a pro-Macron Renaissance MEP, was a comparatively unknown public determine on the EU stage, till rising to prominence after being elected as Renew Europe’s President in late January. She took over from Stéphane Séjourné after his shock appointment as France’s International minister earlier this yr.
Media reviews claimed over the weekend Hayer was hand-picked by President Emmanuel Macron to guide the liberal cost – which incorporates the Renaissance occasion and centrist allies, gathered collectively below the Ensemble coalition.
This data was confirmed to Euractiv by a celebration supply with information of the talks on Sunday (25 February).
Renaissance had not made the knowledge public by the point this text was revealed. Based on the French weekly Le Level, a gathering will happen in l’Elysée on Sunday to enshrine the president’s resolution.
Tackling the farmers’ disaster
The nomination comes amid a rising farmers’ disaster in France – and Hayer, who comes from a household of farmers with shut ties to the farming group within the Western a part of the nation, is seen to be the appropriate decide to sort out the problem head-on.
Macron was heckled and booed on the landmark annual agricultural present in Paris on Saturday (24 February) as farmers complain of unfair worldwide competitors, extreme administrative burdens and growing manufacturing prices.
Agriculture is ready to turn out to be one of many EU elections’ key dialog matters.
“We should guarantee farmers have increased revenues and assist them by means of the inexperienced transition,” she instructed Euractiv on the day of her election as Renew president, vouching to battle for farmers’ pursuits within the European Parliament, although “we should not oppose agriculture and environmental points”.
The liberal camp has been polling at a 19% common since December, far behind far-right Rassemblement Nationwide’s (RN) 30% lead.
The Renew Europe group might drop from 101 to 84 seats within the European Parliament, based on knowledge compiled for Euractiv by Europe Elects, a ballot aggregator.
“We want somebody who can stand as much as each [far-left MEP] Manon Aubry and [RN colleague] Jordan Bardella,” a celebration supply instructed Euractiv final week. Each are seen as presentable, comfy on the marketing campaign path and adept at political debates.
Hayer, 37, instructed Euractiv in January she didn’t belief polls and claimed she was assured there can be a pro-EU majority within the Parliament after the June elections.
“[Renew] is probably the most clearly recognized political household that fights towards extremes,” she slammed.
Hayer’s identify had been floating round for weeks – amid issues the pro-Macron camp was struggling to search out the appropriate match to guide the EU elections cost.
The identify of a brand new candidate was because of be revealed in January, however that was postponed a number of occasions, and political heavyweights had all turned down the job. This had raised questions on whether or not the Ensemble coalition was able to get the marketing campaign going.
Aurélie Pugnet contributed to reporting.
[Edited by Alice Taylor]
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