"Unfortunately, I have grown accustomed to living by having the choice between options which are all equally open to criticism and which all have drawbacks", justifies since the steps of Matignon Edouard Philippe. This Friday, May 22, at midday, the Prime Minister therefore finally decided, weary of war. After weeks of questioning, internal procrastination, pressure from opposition parties, and so much uncertainty over the coming days, the second round of municipal elections, which had to be postponed because of the coronavirus, will be indeed scheduled on June 28 for the 5,000 or so municipalities still waiting to choose a city councilor. "If the sanitary conditions allow it", mechanically specifies the executive, following the line already fixed by the scientific council, Wednesday.
"After weighing the pros and cons, we believe that democratic life must resume its rights," justified Edouard Philippe. Criticized for having let the first round be organized, March 15, when the epidemic of Covid-19 was in ascending phase, it is right in his boots - register dear to his mentor Alain Juppé - that the head of government We also allowed ourselves a little clarification on this "decision sometimes contested, but decision assumed". "I assume that I considered that there was no more risk that day to go to vote than to go, for example, to go shopping," he insisted. I mainly assume this decision because in no democracy can we decide, outside of any legal framework, to cancel a poll the day before the day when it must be held. In short, move on!
"Purge this bad soap"
At the highest state summit, the scenario of a second round at the end of June had been heard for several days. “The President of the Republic responds to strong demand on the ground. To postpone in September, when the mayors will already have to ensure the start of the school year in a particular health dispute, it was almost unthinkable. Later, at the end of the year, with the examination of the finance bill, it was also mission impossible ”, decrypts the entourage of Emmanuel Macron.
A postponement beyond June would have, moreover, obliged to reprogram the entire ballot in the 5,000 cities concerned, even though the scientific council considered that holding a single round presented less health risk than two.
VIDEO. Municipal: the second round scheduled for June 28
"And anyway, we must purge this bad soap. After June 28, we will be able to move on to something else, to open another political sequence, ”notes a“ Walker ”who has entered the Palace, referring to the hypothesis of a reshuffle that could take place in early July, or so at autumn. "Even if it is enough to speak about it so that the president does not do it ...", he rebounds.
In Le Havre, a tight game for Edouard Philippe
In the meantime, this is an unprecedented campaign which will have to be carried out by the candidates still in the running for the second round. "It will be necessary to make a different campaign to avoid the spread of the virus," said Christophe Castaner on Friday.
Newsletter - The essentials of the news
Every morning, the news seen by Le ParisienI'm registering
Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more
VIDEO. Castaner: "The voters will have to wear a mask" to go to vote
The Minister of the Interior added that he would work in the coming days with associations of elected officials to precisely define the contours of this organization imposed by health constraints.
Regarding voting operations, masks, barrier gestures and physical distance will be required, as on March 15, proxies will also be encouraged and even facilitated for the 16.5 million voters called to the polls.
For Edouard Philippe, who has not set foot in Le Havre since the evening of the first round, it is also a new political era which is resuming. Arriving at the head with 43,59% of the suffrages, he knows that the party remains tight considering a weak possible transfer of voice vis-a-vis his communist adversary, the deputy Jean-Paul Lecoq. "Everyone is aware of my attachment to this city," he said on Friday. According to our information, given his busy agenda in Matignon and the coronavirus crisis, he should not, however, return there to campaign before the beginning of June.