Duo lined up for race to lead French Republicans

France's liberal-conservative party The Republicans has confirmed who the candidates for its leadership will be, and analysts say that whoever is eventually chosen as leader is likely to reshape the party's direction.

Bruno Retailleau, the minister of the interior, is seen as a rising figure with strong electoral appeal, and Laurent Wauquiez, a deputy in the National Assembly and president of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, is a more traditional voice trying to regain ground after years away from the spotlight.

"This is not just a leadership race but is also a referendum on what the French right wants to be," Sophie Langlois, a political analyst with France 5 TV, said on Sunday.

Party officials gave the go-ahead to both candidacies on Saturday, setting up a battle for control of a party that could play a key role in the presidential election in 2027.

According to a poll by Ipsos published on March 19, Retailleau now ranks fourth in public support among political leaders, with 28 percent of respondents saying they would be satisfied if he became president, almost double the support he enjoyed in October.

According to the party's figures, Retailleau has attracted the backing of 2,235 of its members and 92 parliamentarians; Wauquiez is said to have secured the backing of 997 members and 44 parliamentarians.

However, Wauquiez's team insists the figures are misleading, and he has suspended his participation in all meetings organized by the party's high authority, accusing it of bias.

Uphill battle

Retailleau, known for his sharp focus on law, order and national identity, has positioned himself as a firm but modern conservative.

Claire Morel, a political analyst with BFM TV, said Retailleau "has struck a balance that resonates with both traditional conservatives and the center-right. That's a rare advantage today". The newspaper Le Monde has described Retailleau as "a conservative figure with growing appeal beyond the party base".

Wauquiez previously led the party and remains a symbol of its conservative core. However, he has struggled to regain the momentum he once had.

In the Ipsos poll he did not rank among the top five political figures, and his public appeal appears to have stalled.

"This election will not be decided by a few headlines or polls," Wauquiez said on CNews on Sunday.

The coming weeks will test both candidates' ability to mobilize support. Retailleau benefits from both visibility and recent popularity gains, while Wauquiez must rebuild trust within the party, experts said.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.