France's conservative Républicains elect new leader to revive political fortunes

France's right-wing Les Républicans party have elected arch-conservative Eric Ciotti as their new leader in the hope he can revive their dim electoral prospects.

Eric Ciotti has been elected leader of France's Les Républicains conservative party © KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP

Eric Ciotti is an MP from the southern city of Nice who is best known for his hardline views on immigration and France's national identity, which are close to the far right's position.

The centrist, conservative Les Républicains trace their roots back to post-World War II hero Charles de Gaulle and the party has provided presidents from Jacques Chirac to Nicolas Sarkozy.

Earlier this year, the party's support collapsed to just 4.8 percent in April's presidential election, with its grassroots support switching to either centrist President Emmanuel Macron or far-right candidates.

🔴 EN DIRECT | Notre président @ECiotti est l'invité de RTL ⤵️ https://t.co/gWE9BDU9eP

— les Républicains (@lesRepublicains) December 12, 2022

Anti-migrant manifesto

However, Les Républicain's 62 lawmakers in France's national assembly play a key role in the hung parliament where Macron's minority government frequently needs their support to pass legislation.

Ciotti beat rival Bruno Retailleau by 53.7 percent to 46.3 percent after a second round of voting by the party's 91,000 members. 

During a bid to become Les Républicains' presidential candidate for this year's election, he vowed to defend "Jewish-Christian" France against an "invasion" of migrants. 

The 57-year-old also proposed a "French Guantanamo" Bay for Islamist extremists.

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Senate majority

He has, however, ruled out a formal alliance with Macron's minority government in parliament and it remains to be seen whether he will order MPs to try to block legislation.

Le Républicains are also the biggest party in the upper-house Senate, giving them an opportunity to rewrite legislation. 

President Macron is still hoping that right-wing support will help pass a major pension reform – one of the party's long-standing targets – when the bill is presented to parliament early next year.

The reform would see the retirement age raised for most people to 65 from its current level of 62.

Ciotti has also pledged to promote former party chief Laurent Wauquiez as the group's presidential candidate for elections in 2027 when Macron must step down after two terms in office.