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French right on verge of collapse as talks fail French right on verge of collapse as talks fail
(35 minutes later)
France's centre-right opposition party is close to total collapse after a bailiff sent to its headquarters to seize contested election papers was turned away. France's centre-right opposition party is close to total collapse after a bailiff sent to its headquarters to seize contested election papers was turned away.
The move followed a breakdown in talks between former prime minister François Fillon and rival Jean-François Copé, who have been engaged in a bitter war of words since a leadership election more than a week ago. The move followed a breakdown in talks between the former prime minister François Fillon and rival Jean-François Copé, who have been engaged in a bitter war of words since a leadership election more than a week ago.
The bailiff, sent with a court order, arrived on Monday at the offices of the UMP in Paris's 15th arrondissement to remove voting papers and documentation relating to the ballot after Fillon supporters suggested there was a risk of "manipulation and alteration".The bailiff, sent with a court order, arrived on Monday at the offices of the UMP in Paris's 15th arrondissement to remove voting papers and documentation relating to the ballot after Fillon supporters suggested there was a risk of "manipulation and alteration".
However, shortly after midday, he left empty-handed after party officials loyal to Copé were reported to have refused access to the documents. However, shortly after midday, he left empty-handed after party officials loyal to Copé were reported to have refused him access to the documents.
"The [UMP] leaders have deliberately refused to execute a judicial order … in politics, contempt for the justice system is a pretty bad augur for the quality of leaders," said François Sureau, Fillon's lawyer."The [UMP] leaders have deliberately refused to execute a judicial order … in politics, contempt for the justice system is a pretty bad augur for the quality of leaders," said François Sureau, Fillon's lawyer.
The Fillon camp said it had been forced to act after Copé refused to give it access to the documents. It claimed the move was aimed at "conserving" the documents.The Fillon camp said it had been forced to act after Copé refused to give it access to the documents. It claimed the move was aimed at "conserving" the documents.
"The electoral documents cannot be considered to be safe from manipulations or alterations," said one of the former prime minister's supporters."The electoral documents cannot be considered to be safe from manipulations or alterations," said one of the former prime minister's supporters.
Copé, 48, was declared winner by a narrow margin after the ballot of party members. Shortly afterwards, Fillon, 58, claimed votes from three overseas districts had been "forgotten" and gave him victory. In the mud-slinging that followed, both sides accused the other of cheating and election fraud.Copé, 48, was declared winner by a narrow margin after the ballot of party members. Shortly afterwards, Fillon, 58, claimed votes from three overseas districts had been "forgotten" and gave him victory. In the mud-slinging that followed, both sides accused the other of cheating and election fraud.
For the past week, the two sides have ripped apart the UMP as party heavyweights called for calm and attempted to referee the dispute. For the past week, the two sides have ripped apart the UMP as party heavyweights called for calm and attempted to referee the dispute.
In a final attempt to reconcile the rival camps, party grandee Alain Juppé was brought in to mediate. He threw in the towel on Sunday evening after his peace efforts failed. In a final attempt to reconcile the rival camps, the party grandee Alain Juppé was brought in to mediate. He threw in the towel on Sunday evening after his peace efforts failed.
On Monday, there were calls for Nicolas Sarkozy to step in and "use his authority" to calm everyone down. The former president was due to have lunch with Fillon, apparently to dissuade him from taking legal action over the contested vote. On Monday, there were calls for Nicolas Sarkozy to step in and "use his authority" to calm everyone down. The former president was due to have lunch with Fillon, apparently to dissuade him from taking legal action over the contested vote.
"It's clear that he is the only one who today has sufficient authority to finally propose a solution, that, as far as I'm concerned, is difficult to see. Can Nicolas Sarkozy calm things down and persuade the two parties back around the table to discuss a solution? That's for him to decide," said Juppé on Monday."It's clear that he is the only one who today has sufficient authority to finally propose a solution, that, as far as I'm concerned, is difficult to see. Can Nicolas Sarkozy calm things down and persuade the two parties back around the table to discuss a solution? That's for him to decide," said Juppé on Monday.
Former UMP cabinet minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet launched a petition calling for a fresh ballot among the party's 300,000 members, saying the political legitimacy of the first election on 18 November was compromised. "It is too doubtful, too contested," she told Europe 1 radio. The former UMP cabinet minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet launched a petition calling for a fresh ballot among the party's 300,000 members, saying the political legitimacy of the first election on 18 November was compromised. "It is too doubtful, too contested," she told Europe 1 radio.
As political analysts warned the row would fuel support for the far-right Front National, Marine Le Pen, the FN president, declared the UMP was finished.As political analysts warned the row would fuel support for the far-right Front National, Marine Le Pen, the FN president, declared the UMP was finished.
"The UMP no longer exists. The UMP is finished," she told French television. "It's finished. whoever runs the UMP will have no legitimacy. Either they re-run the election, which would be reasonable, or the UMP announces its death and at that moment becomes two structures." "The UMP no longer exists. The UMP is finished," she told French television. "It's finished. Whoever runs the UMP will have no legitimacy. Either they re-run the election, which would be reasonable, or the UMP announces its death and at that moment becomes two structures."
In the vacuum left by the implosion of the official opposition party, the FN has been quick to vaunt itself as the only party able to take on President François Hollande's Socialist government.In the vacuum left by the implosion of the official opposition party, the FN has been quick to vaunt itself as the only party able to take on President François Hollande's Socialist government.
"We will welcome [UMP members] with open arms, because the real battle against the left must be fought and today, tomorrow and in the months to come. The UMP is clearly not in a state to fight it.""We will welcome [UMP members] with open arms, because the real battle against the left must be fought and today, tomorrow and in the months to come. The UMP is clearly not in a state to fight it."