Eric Zemmour’s team rubbed their hands in advance – the mayor of Bonneval, barely 5,000 inhabitants in the heart of Eure-et-Loir, would, on Friday January 7, and in front of the TVs, give his sponsorship to their candidate and lead by example. We had seen the big picture: the former journalist of the Figaro gave an aside to this influential mayor, president of the community of communes, departmental councilor, and even a former senator; followed by a press conference, a short tour of the town and a meal with elected officials. With an Eric Zemmour who did not haggle his praise on “The Venice of Beauce” and the charms of rurality.
Mayor Joël Billard quickly dampened enthusiasm by assuring that he had “In principle to welcome all candidates who so wish”, but that he “Had made the decision not to sponsor anyone”. Good. Eric Zemmour spun in the tiny town of Villampuy (300 inhabitants), on better known ground: its mayor, Vincent Lhopiteau, had come himself to propose his signature even before Zemmour was a candidate. In 2017, he gave his sponsorship to Philippe Poutou (New Anti-Capitalist Party), “In the name of democracy”. Today, he chose Zemmour. ” And why not ? replied the mayor. His convictions are mine. “
The sponsorship hunt has become a major source of concern for the far-right candidate, but the record of his tour in the Châteaudun region is slim. “Some promises” unhooked during the meal, “Let’s say between 2 and 5”, agrees Antoine Diers, deputy director of strategy. Eric Zemmour claims to have obtained 300 promises, he needs double them, to be sure to have at least 500 in March.
“We can’t imagine that we don’t have them, but it’s worrying, acknowledges Sarah Knafo, the director of campaign strategy and partner of Eric Zemmour. At the beginning, the mayors came by themselves to offer their sponsorship. Now, elected officials say they are afraid that a subsidy will be taken away from them, of having trouble with the region. And it’s been dragging on, let’s say, since mid-December. “
“We are not asking LR to help us”
Eric Zemmour displays unalterable confidence and good humor. Moreover, in a galette des rois provided for 40 people, it is he who luckily got the bean. The day before, however, he had launched an appeal on Europe 1 to David Lisnard, mayor Les Républicains (LR) of Cannes and president of the Association of Mayors of France (AMF), “A remarkable and democratic person”, had indicated the polemicist. “I suggest that he ask the mayors to create a pool of signatures and give the signatures to all the candidates who are at least, I don’t know, at 5 or 8% in the polls, it is he who will decide, the candidate had said. I think it would be a democratic step and I am not speaking just for myself. “
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