The centre right party formerly headed by Nicholas Sarkozy has elected Laurent Wauquiez as its new leader. The 42 year old Lyonnais won the majority of votes cast in a three way contest against more centrist candidates, signalling a significant shift to the right. The party's Presidential candidate Francois Fillon was mired with a financial scandal and many members defected to Macron's En Marche! party.
Although Les Republicains polled better than the socialist party, its shift to the right to challenge the Front National on many of its policies leaves Macron firmly in charge of the centre right and his standing in the polls improving steadily suggests hard times ahead for M Wauquiez.
Senior Republicain figures such as Xavier Bertrand, Valerie Pecresse and Alain Juppe are thought to be unhappy at the development and may quit the party.
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