The homes of two candidates Les Républicains de Marseille suspected of having proposed voters to carry out non-compliant proxies for the second round of the municipal elections were searched Monday, June 15, as part of a preliminary investigation by the prosecution, did We learned this Tuesday June 16 from police sources.
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"The homes of Ms. Lapalus and Devouge were the subject of a search," AFP said the same source, confirming information from La Provence. "The investigation continues, we are checking on all sides, on the first round too, not only on what was shown in the reports," the police source told AFP.
Read also: Municipal in Marseille: search at Vassal HQ, investigation of possible proxy fraud
Géraldine Lapalus, actress of the “ Camping Paradis” series and candidate on the list of Martine Vassal in the 6th and 8th arrondissements, and Monique Devouge, assistant to the town hall of the 11th-12th arrondissement and candidate in this sector, appeared in reports France 2 and Marianne revealing this practice of "simplified proxies" contrary to the law. According to La Provence, the phones and computers of these candidates were seized by the financial brigade of the Marseille judicial police, which is investigating this case.
"I don't want the Marseillais to have their election stolen"
The investigators seek to characterize possible “fraudulent maneuvers tending to the irregular exercise of proxy votes” as well as “forgery and the use of forgeries” , according to the Marseille prosecutor, Dominique Laurens. On Saturday, it was the local campaign of Ms. Vassal, LR president of the city and the department, which was searched, as well as the tenure of Julien Ravier, LR mayor of the sector and head of the list in the 11-12th.
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“I was extremely surprised at the violence of this affair, and the proportion it took. There is an investigation, I let the police do their work without any problem, but what I want is that they look everywhere, in all the lists and that it is not only targeted on my candidacy, " said Ms. Vassal Tuesday at AFP, ensuring not to be " a cheater " . "I feel we are trying to feuilletonner with every day something out, so I hope that the investigation will be done soon, I hope it will be done before the second round" , has added the president of the Aix-Marseille metropolitan area and of the Bouches-du-Rhône department, who proposed to "cancel" all the proxies deposited for the second round of municipal elections to lift the " suspicion" .
"I continue my campaign, this story brings the teams together, and I do not want the Marseillais to have their election stolen, I want them to be able to express themselves," she concluded.
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