well it's another one of the most uh impressive uh developments in French politics uh in the last week Eric cotti who's been at the home since 2022 of Republican has now been expelled from the party that's after a meeting between some of the deputies in the political decision-making of the rightwing party here behind me at the social Museum just about 100 meters away from the headquarters which were locked uh that was on directive from C earlier in the day at about 12:00 p.m. anticipating this meeting from those deputies in the high ranking positions and this all stems from response to C's statements and comments yesterday where he said that an alliance with the national rally of marine lepen was in the interests of the Republicans so he has now been expelled it was a unanimous decision from inside the chamber there behind me and now the question remains uh who is going to likely step into his place well we do have word on that it is going to be General Secretary of the movement Ani Geneva as well as FR zavier bami who has been holding uh the position on the list of the uh European elections at least uh the Parliamentary elections for the Republican party which didn't perform well there but now they do have two people uh basically taking a joint leadership mandate over from Eric cotti who will now be vacating his position cotti responding after this as he said uh the meeting organized this afternoon uh was basically implemented in flagrant violation of our statutes as Republican he says None of the decisions taken at this meeting have any legal consequences it can have criminal consequences in fact this is what he said on social media I am and remain the president of our political party elected by the members so cotti clearly in disagreement with any uh uh basic uh uh decisions taken by this body uh in the chamber behind me today at the social Museum yeah just an extraordinary moment Jean Emil as you say we have party officials saying look cot's out and you have cotti himself saying I remain the president of the party um just do we have any sense now as to practically what this means you mentioned potentially a new leader and what the Republicans do now will some of them be joining Emmanuel macron's Alliance will anybody but seot be going to join Marine Leen and the far right well it was interesting because ahead of this uh the farri right president Jordan bardel uh he praised cotti for his bravery uh by basically saying that an alliance was possible with the uh National rally uh he obviously received criticism from a large part of his Republican party but at the same time the national rally themselves believe that there are enough people in the Republicans who would side with them regardless of cot or not so there seems to be a belief at least from their side that they do have that supporter base and they also gave their assurances that they would back those MPS uh who would show any kind of favor towards uh the uh National rally in Parliament with those parliamentary elections coming up in just under 3 weeks time after that bombshell National Assembly dissolution by Emanuel Macon and those new elections to come but then there is the other side which might show more moderate favor with Emmanuel macon's Renaissance and that might be uh at least you know a representation of the likes of Jer D and uh the uh he's the interior Minister who did leave uh the Republican to join the Renaissance as well as Bruno ler the current economy minister so there are those who definitely see a more moderate tone as being the future then if you ask the likes of a former president of Le Republican valer PES who spoke just before this uh meeting she said that neither uh an alliance with the uh extreme rights or with the centrists of maon would actually work in their favor so a bit of an alienation therefore Republican to contend with and uh to see if they indeed will form any of Coalition pz who was AED at least or replaced by uh cot after that dismal showing at the presidential election uh run in in 2022 said uh there is no place for traitors or small time purches so very strong words ahead of this meeting and it was reflected in the way that they uh at least expelled coot after the meeting but in terms of the political future of the party it is at a Crossroads and there are fears that this could be the disintegration of Republican who have been very much synonymous with French history since shal deal and then with their presidents Jac shiak and nicholo Sosi so a lot of questions now to be asked in the future and just three weeks to go to form that Alliance