Paris (AFP)

Carried by a flattering survey two months before the municipal elections, Rachida Dati takes control of the LR campaign in Paris by imposing its line anchored to the right, even if it means putting aside those who are reluctant to support it, such as the mayor LR of the 15th century paid the price on Wednesday.

The Republicans finally decided on the puzzle that posed for weeks this strategic district by investing Agnès Evren, president of the regional federation of LR, facing the outgoing mayor, Philippe Goujon, baron of the Parisian right but who refused to support Rachida Dati.

The decision, taken by "almost unanimity with two votes", does not aim to constitute a list "against such and such", assured AFP the president of LR Christian Jacob.

But "I hope that, as in all other districts, the Parisian voter who wants to vote for LR and for Rachida Dati has the opportunity to do so," he added.

Mr. Goujon immediately deplored this decision.

"I am the victim of a witchcraft lawsuit" while "I have always been loyal to my party", told AFP the elected official, mayor of the 15th century since 2008 and member of the RPR from the start.

But Mr. Goujon, aware that he can cast a wider net than the only LR pool, has always refused to tie his hands.

"I will support the candidate best placed to allow the alternation", repeated Wednesday the former president of the federation LR of Paris.

However "no candidate can win alone. LR has no allies, no reservations. We can always say that we are 22% in the second round, that is not enough to win", he said. assured.

Mr. Goujon alluded to an Ifop poll placing Ms. Dati (19%) behind the outgoing mayor Anne Hidalgo (25%) in the first round, and for the first time in front of the LREM candidate Benjamin Griveaux (15%).

- "Historical Chance" -

"Without a rallying strategy, we leave the municipal team in place," warned Mr. Goujon, who is keen to speak to everyone on the right, of Edouard Balladur who gave him his support on Sunday ("an excellent mayor") to Xavier Bertrand with whom he ostensibly had coffee on Wednesday.

This fall, Mr. Goujon even displayed himself on a leaflet with the deputy Agir Pierre-Yves Bournazel, himself a candidate for mayor of Paris. Mr. Bournazel has since made an alliance with Mr. Griveaux but "I did not follow him and I will not follow him", assured Mr. Goujon.

On the side of Ms. Dati, we assure that "for several weeks a dynamic has been created" around the candidate LR, "only credible alternation force for the outgoing team".

"We have a historic chance of winning Paris," affirmed on January 16 the candidate who articulated her program on themes - security, cleanliness, families, housing ...-- familiar on the right, and which undoubtedly seduce some of Mr. Griveaux's electorate.

Its breakthrough, which reactivates the mute right / left divide with the rise of the LREM candidates, also makes us dream of a nostalgic right of the time, before 2001, when it reigned over the Town Hall.

"His project is rather well received" and "gives us reasonable hopes", welcomed Tuesday Christian Jacob.

To maintain its momentum, candidate LR launched an "exceptional mobilization operation" on social networks on Wednesday.

On the head of the lists, Ms. Dati can count on Ms. Evren on a candidate who had joined her "from the start of the campaign". It also finished Wednesday to constitute its troops, with in the XVIth the lawyer Francis Szpiner and in the XIth its campaign director, Nelly Garnier.

In the 11th century, the initially designated candidate, François Demas, withdrew for "health reasons". With this change of casting, there is no longer any head of list from the ranks of Libres !, the movement of Valérie Pécresse.

© 2020 AFP