Édouard Philippe attacks National Rally over Pétain song incident, launching presidential campaign duel
Édouard Philippe, mayor of Le Havre and presidential candidate, accused a National Rally mayor in Vaucluse of playing a nostalgic song for Marshal Pétain during May 8 commemorations, calling it proof the party has not changed. Speaking to Horizons party cadres in Reims on May 10, he said the RN is “a little the new 'en même temps'.” Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella denounced the accusation as a “fake news” that “sullies millions of voters.”
Édouard Philippe, mayor of Le Havre and presidential candidate, accused a National Rally mayor in Vaucluse of playing the song "Maréchal, nous voilà!" — a nostalgic tune for Marshal Philippe Pétain — during May 8 commemorations, calling it proof the party has not changed. Speaking to Horizons party cadres in Reims on May 10, Philippe said: "'Maréchal, nous voilà!' diffusé à Carpentras, par erreur, dit la mairie. Ils avaient le disque à côté de celui de La Marseillaise, ils se sont trompés. C'est ballot."
Philippe expanded his criticism, stating: "Le RN n'est pas comme il le dit, ni de droite ni de gauche, il est parfois très à droite et souvent très à gauche." He added: "Si j'osais, je vous dirais volontiers que le Rassemblement national est un peu le nouveau 'en même temps'."
The RN mayor's office said the song was played by mistake, confusing the disc with La Marseillaise. Marine Le Pen denounced Philippe's accusation as "mensonge et bassesse" (lie and baseness). According to Le Pen, a radio association apologized for the song in a press release. Jordan Bardella said: "Edouard Philippe, dit Macron II, débute sa poussive campagne par une fake news, il salit des millions d'électeurs."
Philippe aims to position himself as the only barrier against a second-round match between Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the RN candidate in 2027.