End clap for the regional psychodrama?
This Tuesday evening, Jean Castex tried to finally get out of the controversy around a hypothetical postponement of the elections, by confirming to the deputies that the ballot would take place in June, as a majority of mayors and parliamentarians wished in recent days. .
But with a week of delay compared to the dates planned, that is to say June 20 and 27 next.
“Certainly, it is only one week, but an additional week of campaign, an additional week of vaccination, that is to say at least two million people vaccinated.
It matters!
», He justified himself during a debate with vote organized in the hemicycle.
Unsurprisingly, the result was largely in favor of this scenario, with 443 votes in favor, and 73 votes against.
But how hard it was.
France Insoumise having for example refused to take part.
The partner of the Modem, for his part, voted against it!
"We sometimes have the feeling of not knowing who is the pilot"
Between the differences of opinion within the majority itself, the poorly calibrated public speeches and the unanimous rebellion of oppositions, the executive was indeed shaken.
"We sometimes have the feeling of not really knowing who is the pilot in all this shit," grumbled with his face of bad days an influential minister.
Latest example on Tuesday morning, when Richard Ferrand announced on RTL the new dates for June, while the Prime Minister was to give the first to this announcement to deputies in the afternoon.
“Ferrand was one of those pushing for a postponement in October.
So he did a little way on the radio, just to show that he was still in the game despite this disavowal, ”decrypts a baron of Macronie.
"If that saves the face of Monsieur Ferrand… eh!"
“, Joked in the wake of Jean-François Copé (LR).
Even sluggish the day before, for the result of the consultation of mayors (56% in favor of maintaining it in June) which was to be unveiled in the hemicycle, but which was finally communicated on Monday at the end of the day by the Ministry of the Interior .
"Figures were already starting to leak", justifies Place Beauvau.
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This Tuesday afternoon, facing the deputies, the tenant of Matignon tried to put the dots on the "i", categorically refusing the accusations of tampering.
“This debate deserves neither unjustified caricature nor excessive simplification.
It is therefore not worthy to consider that those who dared to give an opinion unfavorable to the postponement of the elections would be undemocratic driven by some political calculation or electoral concern ”, he was annoyed, explaining that the subject deserved on the contrary. that "be well weighed the pros and cons" facing the health risk that will have to bear the campaign of regional and that of departmental.
"We can only say no"
In this case, the ballot will be held under certain conditions: no public meetings, indoors or outdoors, in accordance with the recommendations of the Scientific Council.
But if the health context improves, this could "translate into more possibilities for the candidates by the first round", hopes Castex.
As for polling days, proxy voting will be "facilitated", "a health protocol will be put in place to guarantee compliance with barrier gestures and health security in the offices", with vaccination, "or failing that, screening", for assessors and assessors.
Three weeks before the first round, the municipalities will also be invited to make known the list of unvaccinated people, members of the polling stations and mobilized officials, "so that a vaccination can be offered", also specified the Prime Minister. minister.
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Enough to reassure candidates and voters?
Tuesday evening, the boss of the LR group, Christian Jacob, regretted the delay of a week, with a second round which will fall "the first weekend of departure on vacation", and an even greater risk of abstention.
As for Patrick Mignola, leader of the MoDem deputies, yet ally of the majority, he hit hard, pointing out "the health and democratic risk" of a campaign organized with such constraints, and defended for his part a postponement to autumn.
“We would like to say yes for the government.
But for the electoral calendar, we can only say no ", he ruled on the platform, fixing Jean Castex in the eyes, just before quoting Machiavelli:" In politics, the choice is never between the good and bad, but between the worst and the lesser evil ”.