The opposition is rather unanimous.
In its opinion given to the government, the scientific council warns of the risks if the regional and departmental elections are maintained next June and points to better conditions in the fall.
But on the left, as on the right, the oppositions are pushing for the elections to take place as planned.
They could be called upon to vote on the subject during a vote in Parliament.
Read also: Postponement of regional elections: the executive does not rule out a debate followed by a vote in Parliament
“
We have to keep the elections because I don't know what will happen in September.
“Faced with the uncertainty of the health situation, the president of the Socialist group in the Senate, Patrick Kanner, pleaded this Tuesday morning on Public Senate for a continuation of the ballot.
And while the opinion of the scientific council regrets that "
the digitization of votes and postal voting cannot be considered for these elections
", the senator did not fail to address a criticism to the government: "
The scientific council us proves right.
(...) We made these proposals systematically,
”he recalls.
"We cannot postpone elections indefinitely for fear of losing them"
For the first secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, a postponement of the regional would also be “
a serious failure for the president.
"He calls on the contrary to"
create the conditions so that it can take place in June because democracy must continue to run its course.
"
Read also: Covid-19: is France "the only country in Europe" to postpone its elections?
The tone is the same for the Republicans.
For the president of the party, Christian Jacob, "
nothing prevents to hold the elections in June
".
According to him, the scientific council invites "
simply to take and respect rules and a strict sanitary protocol to avoid the risks as much as possible."
""
What says things will be different in September or October?
He asks.
A few days before the publication of the opinion of the scientific council, the LR vice-president of the National Assembly, Annie Genevard, had already expressed itself in this direction.
"
We cannot postpone elections indefinitely for fear of losing them,
" she said, noting "
strong suspicion
" as to the government's motives for a possible postponement.
"
Postponing the elections is to give the impression that democracy is optional,
" the elected official had criticized.
Christian Estrosi in favor of a postponement
Even within the majority, the president of the law committee in the Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, refuses to postpone.
“
We are in a country where the vote is the key to political power, we need to have political decision-makers who are legitimate by the election (...).
We decided in Parliament that they would be held in June (...).
I believe that the elections must be held,
”she said.
A few more nuanced voices were heard.
In Nice, the mayor LR Christian Estrosi considers that the recommendations of the scientific council are "
extremely difficult
" to keep.
According to him, “
the conditions will be much better next fall.
"Finally at the RN, the party spokesperson, Sébastien Chenu, wants the ballot to be maintained but nevertheless balances:"
If the elections are postponed, we will do with it.
"