While Renaud Muselier and Thierry Mariani are neck and neck in the polls, the atmosphere is tense as the first round of the Regionals in Paca approaches.
Members of LR have filed a request in Avignon to have the leader of the RN, ex Sarkozyste, at the regional in Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur, removed from the electoral lists, believing that he had no "domicile real ”in the city, we learned Wednesday from their lawyer.
This request was filed Tuesday before the Avignon court according to an "absolute emergency" procedure by five inhabitants of Avignon, including regional councilor LR Michel Bissière and two members of the party committee in the first constituency of Vaucluse, clarified Me Xavier Cachard.
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The court could examine this request in the coming days, according to Me Cachard, but in the event of an appeal, a possible delisting could only take place after the elections of June 20 and 27.
The request asks for the candidate to be struck off the regional elections on the grounds that his main accommodation is not in Avignon and that he has not lived in this city for at least six months as provided for in the electoral code.
Unknown to his neighbors, he says "to be in good standing"
The applicants rely in particular on an article in Le Canard Enchaîné in which the journalists of the satirical weekly say that they did not find at the address of the studio rented by the European deputy Mariani any "name on the bell" and "not the slightest neighbor in the street able to remember having once passed Thierry Mariani here ”.
A neighbor also indicated to a bailiff appointed by the applicants that the apartments located at his street number were “seasonal rentals”.
For his opponents, the real home of the head of the Mariani list is located in the 17th arrondissement of Paris.
They also note that the RN candidate cannot appear in 2021 "for the second time without interruption in the role of direct contributions" of the municipality of Avignon since his rental contract was registered on January 20, 2021 and therefore cannot be registered. on the electoral rolls.
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“I have a tax certificate and I am registered on the contribution rolls.
I recall that last year, I was a candidate in the municipal elections in Avignon, if I did not meet the criteria, I would not have been able to run.
I am perfectly in order, I do not see why I would be worried, ”reacted Thierry Mariani.
"Renaud Muselier wants to cast doubt on everything, it's a diversionary maneuver and he knows very well that it will end in a flop", added the candidate born in Orange (Vaucluse) and mayor of Valréas (Vaucluse) for 16 years.