“It is clearly the scenario of their maintenance that we favor at this stage.
This is what Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday, who came to defend before the Senate the new anti-Covid measures announced the day before by Emmanuel Macron.
While the responsibility for a possible postponement of the regional and departmental elections rested entirely on the executive, the head of government made his decision: he is not in favor of the postponement of the regional and departmental elections, scheduled for June 13 and 20. .
Jean Castex specified that he would follow "the recommendations of the Scientific Council" for the organization of the election, and ensure that these "would not alter" the sincerity of the ballot.
A postponement still possible
These elections, already postponed from March to June, were the subject of a report from the Scientific Council submitted to the head of government earlier this week.
This document "does not clearly and explicitly advocate a postponement of these elections," Jean Castex said in the morning to the deputies.
"It is the sole responsibility of the political authorities to proceed in all democratic legitimacy to general assessments, which go beyond the only health aspects, as well as to the necessary arbitrations, which are eminently political when it comes to the organization of elections", thus argue the experts.
In short: scientists leave the responsibility for the decision to the executive.
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The executive therefore decided.
"Only imperative sanitary conditions likely to compromise the organization of the campaign or the poll could justify a further postponement".
While adding, at the same time, that "the first of the criteria which will always end up being essential is the health protection of the citizens".