Bruno Retailleau Assumes Leadership of Les Républicains Amidst Party Reform Efforts
Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau secures party presidency following a landslide victory, initiating a strategic council to address internal challenges.
Bruno Retailleau was elected president of the French political party Les Républicains (LR) on May 18, 2025, with 74.31% of the votes against his rival Laurent Wauquiez.
This significant victory empowers Retailleau to implement his agenda within the party, having gathered substantial support from party members.
Following his election, he convened a strategic council on May 20, comprising prominent party figures including Gérard Larcher, François-Xavier Bellamy, Michel Barnier, Valérie Pécresse, and Xavier Bertrand.
The election process, which involved 121,617 party members voting primarily through electronic means, marked a shift from previous practices, allowing for voting from computers, tablets, and mobile phones.
This approach was designed to address past controversies related to accusations of electoral irregularities.
To ensure voter anonymity and security, a dual identification system was implemented: members received unique access codes via email and passwords through SMS, alongside requiring their member identification numbers.
The leadership transition comes in the wake of Eric Ciotti's resignation from the presidency following his departure from the party.
Ciotti had been associated with the Rassemblement National during the previous legislative elections, which intensified the party's existing challenges.
The party also faced difficulties after Valérie Pécresse's poor performance in the 2022 presidential election, where she garnered only 4.78% of the vote, the lowest result for LR in the history of the Fifth Republic.
While internal party dynamics have been tumultuous, including a decline in membership to about 44,000 earlier this year, Retailleau's election is seen as an opportunity to revitalize the party's direction and membership engagement.
The strategic council aims to navigate these challenges and rebuild LR's influence in French politics.
The vote counting on May 18 was set to commence immediately after polling concluded at 6 PM, with results announced shortly thereafter by the appointed members of the 'Haute Autorité' responsible for overseeing the electoral process.
In the event of no absolute majority, a second round of voting is scheduled for May 24 and 25.
This significant victory empowers Retailleau to implement his agenda within the party, having gathered substantial support from party members.
Following his election, he convened a strategic council on May 20, comprising prominent party figures including Gérard Larcher, François-Xavier Bellamy, Michel Barnier, Valérie Pécresse, and Xavier Bertrand.
The election process, which involved 121,617 party members voting primarily through electronic means, marked a shift from previous practices, allowing for voting from computers, tablets, and mobile phones.
This approach was designed to address past controversies related to accusations of electoral irregularities.
To ensure voter anonymity and security, a dual identification system was implemented: members received unique access codes via email and passwords through SMS, alongside requiring their member identification numbers.
The leadership transition comes in the wake of Eric Ciotti's resignation from the presidency following his departure from the party.
Ciotti had been associated with the Rassemblement National during the previous legislative elections, which intensified the party's existing challenges.
The party also faced difficulties after Valérie Pécresse's poor performance in the 2022 presidential election, where she garnered only 4.78% of the vote, the lowest result for LR in the history of the Fifth Republic.
While internal party dynamics have been tumultuous, including a decline in membership to about 44,000 earlier this year, Retailleau's election is seen as an opportunity to revitalize the party's direction and membership engagement.
The strategic council aims to navigate these challenges and rebuild LR's influence in French politics.
The vote counting on May 18 was set to commence immediately after polling concluded at 6 PM, with results announced shortly thereafter by the appointed members of the 'Haute Autorité' responsible for overseeing the electoral process.
In the event of no absolute majority, a second round of voting is scheduled for May 24 and 25.
