France

Paris court overturns decision to expel Ciotti as head of France's right-wing Les Républicains

Author: Editors Desk Source: France 24

June 17, 2024 at 06:43

Eric Ciotti, contested leader of French conservative party Les Républicains, looks out a window of the party headquarters in Paris, France, June 13, 2024. © Stephane Mahe, Reuters

A Paris court ruled on Friday to overturn an earlier decision by France's conservative Republicans party to expel Eric Ciotti as the party chief, said Ciotti, in a move that could boost the far-right National Rally party ahead of parliament elections.

"The Paris court tribunal has suspended the move to expel me from the Republicans. I therefore continue to exercise my functions as party president," said Ciotti on social media platform X, confirming earlier French media reports.

Le tribunal judiciaire de Paris a suspendu mon exclusion des Républicains.

Je conserve donc l’exercice de mes fonctions de Président.
— Eric Ciotti (@ECiotti) June 14, 2024

The Republicans party had earlier this week voted to expel Ciotti after he had called for an electoral alliance with Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) party.