For New Energy’s wishes, David Lisnard appears with François-Xavier Bellamy: “It’s up to everyone to be strong”

2024 will be the year of putting New Energy ideas to music. David Lisnard announced it Tuesday evening in front of a few hundred supporters gathered in a brasserie in the 15th arrondissement, a few steps from his national HQ.

This small wish ceremony is an opportunity for him to unveil the appointment of Hervé Novelli to the position of project manager. The former Secretary of State for Commerce and SMEs (2007 -2010) was notably responsible for implementing the self-employed status. And Mayor LR of Cannes is counting on him to test ideas and think about how to apply them in the face of “administrative rigidity”. He wants to look for ways to bring “as many civil servants as possible” on board New Energy to implement a state reform that he considers a priority. “He will have to put to music a project that we have been working on for three years,” explains Lisnard, before saluting Novelli as a “competent and creative” entrepreneur. “He invented things when he was minister,” he salutes.

The other guest greeted with applause is MEP François-Xavier Bellamy. “The more I see him the better I feel because he has talent. I am delighted that its first outing is here,” underlines the president of Nouvelle Énergie, while the head of the French delegation of the EPP has just been designated head of the Republican list for the next European elections, by Éric Ciotti Monday evening on TF1.

Facing the room, where the president of the Centrists Hervé Morin is also present, Alexandra Martin, secretary general of Nouvelle Énergie and deputy for Alpes-Maritimes, wishes her president success on three qualities: “Consistency, consistency and confidence”. David Lisnard jokingly bounces back on Emmanuel Macron's “counter-wishes”, organized almost at the same time at the Élysée.

“The future only belongs to those who commit,” continues David Lisnard. He describes 2024 as the year of “consolidation” and “professionalization” of a movement whose number of members he wants to double in one year. He claims nearly “9,000 up-to-date contributions” today. Caroline Doucerain, development manager, is delighted to have relays in “70 departments”.

Listing the country's challenges, the elected official calls for a "collective burst", quotes Bernanos on hope as a "risk to run", promises the "firm resolution to act to propose the political offer of dignity", theorizes the notion of responsibility by imagining French people "owners of their destiny", invites us to rediscover the "sense of audacity, panache and joy"...

In mirror image, David Lisnard also paints a black picture of the country's difficulties. He deplores the economic situation of "ultrapublic spending", the bankruptcy of emergency services, the rising insecurity figures, the "regular disintegration", prison overpopulation, schools, poorly paid civil servants, poorly served users, the inflation of social spending, the explosion of immigration as well as the record emigration of talents, or even declining diplomacy... So many reasons, according to him, to get to work to "straighten France" and impose the New Energy themes in public debate.

Also read: Anne de Guigné: “The real taboo subject in France is emigration”

At LR, some half-heartedly criticize the independence of the president of the Association of Mayors of France. He is criticized in particular for putting Les Républicains in the background, for providing Bellamy with a list of “new” candidates from Nouvelle Énergie and for promoting his own movement. But David Lisnard refutes these attacks. “Unlike so many others, I am moving forward with my ideas which, in my opinion, constitute an important contribution, with new people, people we no longer see. I think it brings a lot to LR.” Then he adds: “Then, in politics you have to be strong. It's up to everyone to be strong.

When many politicians commented on Gabriel Attal's new government, David Lisnard stayed away. He preferred to remain “discreet” because he “hates” trials of intent. But that doesn’t stop him from pointing out the executive’s method. “In principle, we take note of a change of prime minister, we say what we intend to do and we appoint a new prime minister to carry out this ambition but here we had the casting before the scenario. If the scenario is good, so much the better for France. We’ll see,” he confided Tuesday evening. As for the affair of Rachida Dati appointed Minister of Culture, there too, he keeps his distance. “I refuse to let themes referring to narcissistic issues be imposed on me. I do not care. I have long wanted France to succeed culturally, but I concentrate on what I can master. Should the right nevertheless think about a plan B for the municipal elections in Paris? The mayor who was elected in Cannes in 2014 without an investiture does not rule out the question and judges that potential candidates exist, like the LR mayor of the 17th arrondissement, member of Nouvelle Énergie and present Tuesday evening.

Neighboring the Nouvelle Énergie HQ, journalist Olivier Mazerolle came to drop by. He is not involved but still observes political life with interest at the age of 81. What does he think of the president of New Energy? " He is interesting. His speech corresponds to what he has already done in his city, with convictions that attack the root of the problem: state reform. This is what Macron promised in 2017 and which he did not do.” The observer believes that this new face of the right carries a “concrete” message. “I have the impression of finding a politician capable of saying things that do not necessarily please everyone but who carries an ambition, a sincerity,” adds Mazerolle, inviting him to plow his “furrow” and to make itself known beyond the circle of politicians and mayors. He also believes that David Lisnard will have to take on the “political fight” and “know how to throw punches from time to time”. He notes in passing that this is what was missing from the “great politician” that was Jacques Delors, who recently passed away.

For David Lisnard, this new year should make it possible to lay a new stone on the building of the right with a view to the presidential election. He believes victory is possible in 2027 without yet knowing if it could be his. In the preface to the Diderot Institute notebooks which include his analyzes on the future of the right in France, André Comte-Sponville wondered about the emergence of the Cannes elected official in these terms: “I was not without doubtless not the only one, that day, in the public, to tell me that the prospect, far from being worrying, would have something interesting, reassuring and stimulating, including for those, like me, who "hardly consider voting for him."