
On 27 November, French ALDE Party member Union des démocrates et indépendants (UDI) held their national council, during which they adopted a political plan for the upcoming presidential elections that will take place in May next year.
Early November, party president Jean-Christophe Lagarde already announced that he will not run as UDI’s presidential candidate. Nevertheless, UDI members voted in-person and online on their political plan for the coming elections.
The national council adopted a political project with concrete policy proposals to make France competitive and fit for the future. UDI’s plan includes policies for France to invest more in technological competition as well as in research and development to become less dependent on foreign digital companies.
Lagarde underlined the importance of investments in technologies by stating: “Europe risks being colonised. Not by reasons of immigration, but by our technological dependency.”
« L'Europe risque d'être colonisée et dominée. Non pas en raison de l'immigration. En raison de notre dépendance technologique. » @jclagarde #CNUDI pic.twitter.com/WSaNarjHxe
— UDI (@UDI_off) November 27, 2021
As part of decentralising legislation, UDI wants more autonomy for regions and municipalities. To fight climate change, the party intends to reach carbon neutrality with renewable energy resources and less dependency on fossil fuels, such as nuclear power reactors.
Next to this, UDI wants to create a State Secretary of African Affairs to intensify France’s external relations with African countries and a Ministry of Social and Fiscal Fraud as an important part of the debt redemption package.
Lagarde underlined that UDI’s support is not unconditional and can vary if the next candidate of Les Républicains can bring together the centre and right side of the French political landscape.
“The support of UDI to the candidate designated by the Congress of Les Républicains will not be automatic. It will be discussed on the demanding basis of our project and political balance.”
« Le soutien de l’@UDI_off au candidat désigné par le #CongresLR ne sera pas automatique. Il sera discuté sur la base exigeante de notre projet et des équilibres politiques. » @jclagarde #CNUDI pic.twitter.com/o8u55i654X
— UDI (@UDI_off) November 27, 2021
💜 Ouverture du Conseil National de l'@UDI_off consacré à l'adoption de notre projet politique et de notre stratégie en vue des échéances #présidentielles et #législatives de #2022 ! #CNUDI pic.twitter.com/Dgomry4jz4
— UDI (@UDI_off) November 27, 2021
Photo credit: UDI