Lyon (AFP)

"Plural ecology": in Lyon, EELV and the candidates on the left formalized their alliance on Wednesday for the second round of municipal and metropolitan elections, with the serious hope of winning.

The June 28 polls will mainly oppose the lists of Gérard Collomb and the right, who announced an agreement last week, and those of the outgoing president of the metropolis, David Kimelfeld, dissident LREM candidate for his succession, an ally on the City to the first outgoing deputy Georges Képénékian.

"The first round showed a real desire, a need for ecology," said Grégory Doucet, EELV candidate for mayor, who took the lead on March 15 in eight districts out of nine - with 28% of the votes in total.

On the mainland, his partner Bruno Bernard had outstripped his opponents in eight out of 14 constituencies.

"We are bringing together women and men who have decided to act together, a climate, environmental, social and democratic coalition, to bring our city up to the challenges of the 21st century," added Mr. Doucet alongside its partners.

The EELV lists merge with those of the United Left (PS, PCF, Génération.s, Nouvelle Donne, Place publique), led by Sandrine Runel and Renaud Payre, and the outgoing mayor of the 1st arrondissement of Lyon, Nathalie Perrin-Gilbert, that LFI supports.

The top of the lists remain environmentalists in the districts and districts where EELV came first.

In Villeurbanne and Vaulx-en-Velin, the Greens got along with the socialists Cédric Van Styvendael and Hélène Geoffroy, former Secretary of State yet supported by David Kimelfeld in the first round; and on Vénissieux with the communist Michèle Picard.

Facing them, their opponents do not hesitate to wave the red rag of the green danger and the far left.

"Our alliance is not a surprise, nor an unnatural alliance, unlike the one that was announced last week," said Sandrine Runel (PS) on Wednesday.

"That of Collomb and Wauquiez is an anti-climate coalition, made of odds and ends, which has no program and offers nothing", abounded Bruno Bernard who is running for the presidency of the Metropolis, real seat of power in Lyon .

"There are only two choices in this election, mine or that of François-Noël Buffet (candidate LR dubbed by Gérard Collomb, editor's note)", added the ecologist for whom "the voters would be wrong" by seeing in David Kimelfeld a third way possible.

"We are the only ones who can have a clear majority in the ballot box on June 28 and who can avoid small arrangements" in the third round, insisted Bruno Bernard.

© 2020 AFP