Like a boomerang.
Matignon and the Elysee were looking for "a consensus" on the need to postpone or not the regional and departmental elections beyond June 2021 due to the health crisis.
And did not hesitate to return the ball to the opposition court.
The ace.
As the letters land on the desk of Prime Minister Jean Castex, it is rather from the majority that the cacophony comes.
In a joint letter, Christophe Castaner and Stanislas Guerini thus plead in favor of "maintaining" the ballot on the dates of June 13 and 20.
"Like the government", specify the president of the LREM group to the Assembly and the general delegate of LREM, who see it "as a signal" at a time "when the country should recover most of its activity".
Ten days ago in the Senate, Jean Castex himself let it be known that it was “at this stage” the preferred option.
"As on the proportional, they are terrified that they are accused of tampering", squeaks a parliamentarian.
Ferrand fears a "bonus for graduates" effect
But not everyone in Macronie shares the same horizon.
Starting with the President of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, who advocates a postponement to “the very beginning of October 2021” in order to “fully benefit from the effects of vaccination” against Covid-19.
This close friend among Emmanuel Macron's relatives warns, moreover, of the risk of an effect "bonus to leavers" in the event of maintenance in June.
François Bayrou, president of the Modem, ally judged on the proportional, is on the same calendar: "After the summer".
A line defended by the president of the MoDem group in the Assembly, Patrick Mignola.
“Our deputies sent all their mayors, ie 3,000 elected representatives, a questionnaire on the subject.
The feedback is categorical: almost 80% are in favor of postponing to October, ”he assures us, notably asking the question of the vaccination of assessors and candidates.
“An impossible equation”, he wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister, also regretting “that the majority did not take advantage of the past year to implement the modernization of the polls”.
As for the third majority group, Agir, it is divided “50/50”, its president Olivier Becht informed the head of government.
The option of an advisory vote
Enough to give quite a headache to Jean Castex, who will prepare his intervention on Tuesday on the occasion of the parliamentary debate this weekend.
"He will take the time to look at each other's letters and he will share his position when he is speaking to Parliament," said his entourage, who added: "the question will not be so binary, moreover, because many conditions are put forward by the scientific council for the hypothesis of a maintenance.
And in the event of a postponement, the government would then have to present a new bill ”.
According to our information, an advisory vote at the end of the discussions would be the chosen option.
A provision that Castex intended to formalize this Friday, April 9 in the afternoon with the presidents of the two chambers.
A framework of the majority sees there again a way of "forcing everyone to take their responsibilities".
But beware of the boomerang's return.