Michèle Rubirola accompanied by Benoit Payan, Sophie Camard, and Samia Ghali. - Adrien Max / 20 Minutes

  • Michèle Rubirola was elected mayor of Marseille by absolute majority this Saturday after the municipal council.
  • Samia Ghali, the senator for the various left northern districts, supported Michèle Rubirola and allowed her to win an absolute majority after having obtained "guarantees for the northern districts".
  • For Michèle Rubirola, "the will of the majority and of the people of Marseille has been respected" and she wishes to "move mountains".

Joy and relief at the height of suspense. Michèle Rubirola celebrated her election as mayor of Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), the first in history, by offering a crowd bath worthy of a presidential election, following the vote of the municipal council this Saturday. It was around 3.30 p.m. when the new mayor left the hemicycle to celebrate his victory with his supporters, alongside his head of lists Benoit Payan, Yannick Ohanessian and Sophie Camard. Without forgetting Samia Ghali. " Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you, ”chanted the crowd to their candidate, who returned the thanks, obviously very moved.

As expected, it is Samia Ghali, the various senator left of the North districts, which will have rocked this election with suspense. "I decided to withdraw my candidacy for the benefit of Michèle Rubirola so as not to divide Marseille," she announced just before the start of the second vote, after more than three hours of suspension. Michèle Rubirola did not hesitate to cross the hemicycle to give a big hug to the one who offered her an absolute majority with 51 votes.

Rubirola is there, celebrating her victory with the support of the Printemps de Marseille. - Adrien Max / 20 Minutes

Endless negotiations

The negotiations were endless, more than three hours, at the end of the first round, which had seen Michèle Rubirola win 42 votes, against 41 for Guy Teissier, the candidate of the Republicans. After the abstention of Stéphane Ravier, who with his municipal councilors, decided to leave the hemicycle before the first round, effectively lowering the absolute majority to 47 municipal councilors. "We will not present a candidate. We will not participate in the vote and we leave this hemicycle, you confiscate the voices of the Marseillais, "he had announced, hinting that an agreement between Guy Teissier and Samia Ghali existed.

In the end, nothing happened. If a place of first assistant had been evoked, and refused by the Marseilles Spring, to obtain the adhesion of Samia Ghali, this last denied at the end of the second round. “There is no first assistant position. I simply obtained guarantees for the northern districts. Le Printemps marseillais was not elected in this territory, I needed to be sure that it would be taken into account in terms of transport, health, public facilities. I bring this absolute majority to Printemps Marseille, I made this choice in relation to my history and what I am. I made a promise not to abandon the northern districts, ”she explained.

The hug between Michèle Rubirola, and Samia Ghali. - Adrien Max / 20 Minutes

"The will of the majority and of the people of Marseille has been respected"

Once elected, Michèle Rubirola thanked “Samia Ghali and her running mate for joining us”, for “always acting in the general interest, with a concern for equality, so that everyone regains the pride of being from Marseille”. For her, "the will of the majority and the people of Marseille was respected", when she had obtained more than 13,000 votes in advance over Martine Vassal, the Republicans, on Sunday. “I will always be an available and attentive mayor. Political will can move mountains, there is no fatality in this city. Beyond this assembly, I address myself to the Marseillaises and the Marseillais, those who have little, those who have nothing, who suffer from misery and poverty, we will not abandon you ", declared the one who now wishes to be called "Madam Mayor".

Election of the new President of the USA? No, from the new mayor of Marseille. Relief for an entire city, or almost. pic.twitter.com/ryr6yiYpoW

- Adrien MAX (@ AdrienMAX9) July 4, 2020

Jean-Claude Gaudin, mayor of Marseille for 25 years, came to bring him the tricolor scarf, before quickly disappearing. Guy Teissier, candidate for mayor for the Republicans, after the withdrawal of Martine Vassal, took "note" of the vote. “I wish you much courage in this perilous enterprise of running this city. For me, for us, the fight continues, "he said. After 25 years of unrestricted reign of the right over Marseille, Guy Teissier considers it "not impossible" to live such a reign of the left.

Municipal

City Council in Marseille LIVE. Elected mayor of Marseille, Michèle Rubirola wants to “move mountains”

Municipal

Municipal elections in Marseille: Soon the hour of truth, we rewind the (crazy) thread of this third round

  • Marseille
  • Samia Ghali
  • Printemps Marseillais
  • Michèle Rubirola
  • Mayor
  • Elections
  • Municipal