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French mainstream right splits in parliament over Macron strategy

France's mainstream-right Republicans split into two parliamentary groups on Wednesday, one promising to work with President Emmanuel Macron's government, the other pledging to be the principal force of opposition.

Thierry Solère
Thierry Solère AFP
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A group of about 20 Republicans were joined by 18 members of the centre-right UDI to form a parliamentary group they hope could attract up to 50 MPs.

Styling themselves "constructive", they promise to "work with the reforms that are going in the right direction and oppose when necessary", according to Thierry Solère, who has emerged as their leading spokesperson.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, an ally of Solère, have left the Republicans to join the government.

Members of the more traditionalist Republicans group accused the "constructive" faction of hoping to gain posts in the cabinet reshuffle to be announced on Wednesday evening.

Traditionalists reelect leader

The "historic" group, which has 94 members, reelected Christian Jacob, 57, as their leader on Wednesday.

He beat Damien Abad, 37, by 62 to 32, calling for his party to be the "cutting edge" of the opposition, "which we cannot leave to the far left or the far right".

Abad had advocated a softer line of avoiding "frontal opposition".

The division follows a heated primary election campaign, which pitted liberal former Bordeaux mayor Alain Juppé against former prime minister François Fillon, who defended a more right-wing position.

Fillon won but was squeezed out in the first round of the presidential race, in part because of a fake jobs scandal involving his wife and family.

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