Les Républicains

The New Guard
Angola, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Morocco

Every Wednesday, Africa Intelligence spotlights a new generation of movers and shakers in business and politics.

Angola Nelito Ekuikui, UNITA's new youth leader

Cameroon Stéphane Tiki, sales rep for French-speaking companies

Ivory Coast Danielle Benoist, Ivorian VP Tiémoko Meyliet Koné's spin doctor

Morocco Loubna Tricha, queen of professional integration

Africa
MP Bruno Fuchs wins battle for Francophonie assembly

After several months of negotiations within France's presidential majority, the Modem party MP Bruno Fuchs is to be appointed on 22 March as secretary general of the parliamentary assembly of the Francophonie, the club of French-speaking nations.

Guinea
Ismael Bah plays middleman between junta and French senators

Straddling Conakry and Paris, the Franco-Guinean national has persuaded France's Senate to host a symposium on Guinea's transition. Supported by Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya's junta, he is banking on Prime Minister Bernard Goumou making an appearance at the event that is set to take place in March.

Tunisia
How a Frenchman came to be suspected of plotting against the Tunisian state

Jean-Pierre M., a former local elected official in the south of France, was surprised to see his name appear on a leaked Tunisian court document that outlined alleged plotting against the state. He denies any attempt to intervene in the country's politics.

Morocco
Paris and Rabat standoff opens window of opportunity for lobbyists

Tensions between Paris and Rabat are giving lobbyists and middlemen something to work with. However the impact of this work is minimal, while the kingdom's main intermediaries in Paris remain somewhat removed from the Elysée.

Africa, France
Parties squabble over Franco-African parliamentary friendship groups

In a rare occurrence, negotiations for the presidencies of parliamentary friendship groups in France's National Assembly are the subject of bitter negotiations between the majority and opposition groups. The France-Morocco group is particularly disputed.

Africa, France
Battle for 10th constituency in France's legislative polls plays out from Libreville to Yaoundé

With French legislative elections due in June, the main candidates to be the MP for the 10th constituency, which is for French nationals who live abroad and includes more than 10 African countries, are sharpening their weapons.

Tunisia
Pécresse's Tunisian campaign to involve ex-comms specialist of former President Marzouki

The Les Républicains (LR) party's French presidential election candidate, Valérie Pécresse, has hired a PR agency, Compol Prod, to conduct her campaign in Tunisia and share her policies with the 500,000 or so dual-nationals and 30,000 French people living in the country.

France, North Africa
Morocco at epicentre of battle for 9th constituency of French citizens abroad

The 9th electoral constituency for French citizens living abroad, which has historically been a hotly contested region despite record abstention rates, is seeing an increase in the number of candidates. While LREM and the PS have still not officially appointed a candidate, the campaigns have begun, and many applicants have ties with Morocco.

France, Mali
Diplomatic dispute over Mali's ambassador to Paris turns into political row

Since Africa Intelligence revealed that Bamako had been waiting more than five months for its ambassador to be accredited in Paris, this diplomatic incident has intruded itself upon the French presidential campaign, leading to heated exchanges between government spokesman Gabriel Attal and the Republican candidate Valérie Pécresse.

Central Africa, France
LREM MP Amélia Lakrafi cosies up to her constituents from Libreville to Kinshasa

Amélia Lakrafi, La République en Marche! (LREM) MP for the 10th constituency of French people abroad, is currently on a tour of Central Africa.

Congo, France
Local French politicians observed Congo elections in March

The European Union decided not to observe Congo's presidential election in March but a group of Lyon politicians, together with Guinea's honorary consul in the city, did travel to Brazzaville for that purpose.

France, Morocco
Rabat stage-manages Western Sahara trip for French MPs

With the assistance of lobbyist Omar Alaoui, Rabat is planning a jamboree for French MPs supportive of Morocco's claim to sovereignty over Western Sahara. It is likely to involve a flight on the inaugural Royal Air Maroc flight between Paris and Dakhla in June.