Will the municipal election in Marseille be played out in court? Stéphane Ravier, local leader of the National Gathering, and a candidate of the left filed on Friday appeals to the administrative court denouncing irregularities and fraud in two sectors won by the Republicans.
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In the afternoon, Senator Stéphane Ravier, head of the list of the National Rally in Marseille and unsuccessful candidate for his re-election in his sector of the 13-14th arrondissements, filed an appeal contesting the election of General David Galtier, who l won by 387 votes.
" 500 different initials between the two towers for the same voters "
“ Analysis of the signatures in the signature books revealed nearly 500 different initials between the two rounds for the same voters. In addition, more than 900 spoiled ballots were counted on June 28 (in the 7th sector), against just over 200 in each of the other sectors of Marseille, "said the National Gathering in a press release.
In the 11th and 12th arrondissements (6th sector), it is the left candidate Yannick Ohanessian, present on the lists of the Marseilles Spring led by Michèle Rubirola, who filed an appeal to the administrative court on Friday morning to contest the victory of the outgoing LR mayor Julien Ravier, he announced at a press conference outside the courthouse.
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" Given the harmful climate incompatible with public order, (...) systematic transgression to the many substantive and formal rules, (...) we have decided to file today, with five running mate, before the administrative court , "explained Yannick Ohanessian, ahead of 352 votes Sunday by Julien Ravier.
The latter has been in the eye of the storm since the Marseilles public prosecutor's office opened in mid-June an investigation into possible “ fraudulent maneuvers ” of LR candidates with a view to establishing voters' proxies and for “ forgery and customs of false ”. Julien Ravier was heard Tuesday by the judicial police.
The track of a retirement home
Investigators are notably digging the trail of a retirement home in the 12th arrondissement where around fifty powers of attorney have been established for residents, some seniles, and this without their knowledge, according to several families. The 1st round signing lists, consulted by AFP, show among the representatives of these residents the names of several relatives of Julien Ravier, including his chief of staff.
Yannick Ohanessian also spoke of " a number of prejudices, pressures, intimidation ", in the first and second round of the election, as well as between the two rounds. Yannick Ohanessian himself was the victim of violence and threats during the first round, according to a bailiff's report that AFP was able to consult.
A third appeal was lodged at the administrative court, indicated its vice-president with AFP, this one to contest the election in the 2nd sector, won by the candidate of the Marseilles Spring Benoît Payan (PS).