The March regional should darken the table

He had also promised a "break". A year after he succeeded Patrick Devedjian at the head of the presidential party, Xavier Bertrand has a more nuanced. If he made large substantive work, it is not still succeeded in halting the decline in the number of members and sentence to Jean-François Copé shade, his rival, leader of the UMP deputies.

Internal animation

"I intend to be a Secretary General available and in the field." Xavier Bertrand had been delivered. Unquestionably, he has worked his sentence for the UMP in running order. Go to the meeting of the militants was not a priority of Patrick Devedjian, former Minister of labour has travelled the France and the federations. In a year, he made over 110 travel, often with a combination of public meetings. "He paid for his person and done a solid job, as Michèle Alliot-Marie in its time." Sincerely, low Hat! "loose Laurent Wauquiez, Secretary of State for employment and advise policy to the UMP.

Internally, rue La Boétie, Xavier Bertrand has intensified the pace of work and developed Web tool. But it has not stopped the decline in the number of members. The party claimed 253.000 incentive end of 2009, is a decline from 8.5 in one year. End of 2007, they were 370,000.

Even if the context is for many, this erosion makes the target more uncertain: having 500,000 members in 2012. Part of the Federal Secretaries could be renewed after the regional.

The elections

The UMP was that better withstand the onslaught of the opposition. Of course, the party was win by the left town halls of Goussainville (Val-), Carcassonne (Aude), Morangis (Essonne) and Briançon (Hautes-Alpes), and Saint-Cyprien (Pyrénées-Orientales) by the new Centre. Of course, was resumed that Chennevières-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne) in a triangular with the Modem. But he kept Aix-en-Provence, Perpignan, Corbeil-Essonnes and delighted the General Council of Val-. He has also kept its seats of Member in Yvelines, with the victories of Jean-Frédéric fish and David Douillet snatching. Above all, he won top hand are European, with 11.4 points ahead of the PS. The March regional should darken the table. Even if, with two outgoing regions, the party does not have much to lose.

The external visibility

Xavier Bertrand has the ear of the President and, according to officials of the majority, weighs in arbitration. But by putting his those of Nicolas Sarkozy, he limited his freedom of speech and tone. The Secretary-General is still largely based on the role of relay of the action of the Executive. "Chief spokesperson", said an Executive of the party. Leaflets in support, he defended the carbon tax, the large loan, the balance sheet at mid-term of the President. In contrast, a single thematic convention was organized in one year. "Technically, the party works." "But he does not risk," judge villepiniste Hervé Mariton, one of the National Secretaries of the UMP. "Not enough autonomy of thought, or strategic thinking", regrets a heavy weight of the majority.

Difficult in these conditions, to compete with a Jean-François Copé making any wood fire in surfing on the powers of the Parliament. The Elysee had on Xavier Bertrand, now member of the Aisne, to offset the influence of the President of the group. Of the admission of the party cadres, it still has bread on the plate.