- Gérard Collomb and the Lyonnais right are not hiding it: the priority is to block the Greens, who came first in the first round.
- On paper, the deal could pay off mathematically.
Will Lyon and its metropolis become the second green bastion of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region after Grenoble? If the results recorded at the end of the first round of the municipal elections let imagine this scenario, the agreement concluded Thursday between the teams of Gérard Collomb and the right came to reshuffle the cards. And in the camp of the new allies, everything is a pretext to torpedo the environmentalists
The two camps are not hiding it, whatever the cost, it must block the Greens, widely acclaimed by voters on the evening of March 16. The spikes were quick to fire. "I do not want to insult anyone but it will take some experience to deal with this crisis," says Gérard Collomb, who did not hesitate to designate Yann Cucherat as his worthy successor despite his slim political career.
"They are apprentices," pings Etienne Blanc
From experience, the Greens with whom he nevertheless directed the city of Lyon, would not have enough, he suggests shamelessly. What about past mandates? " They have changed. Before, they understood how to build a city. There has been a kind of regression compared to previous years ”, replies the elected official targeting, without naming them, Grégory Doucet and Bruno Bernard, respectively EELV candidates for the city and the metropolis.
"They are apprentices", cowardly Etienne Blanc, LR candidate for mayor of Lyon, who withdrew in favor of Yann Cucherat. "The second city of France cannot reasonably become a small laboratory for degrowth or the place for experimenting with hazardous ideologies practiced by apprentices". He added: "If the configuration of the 1st round were to be maintained during the second, a coalition bringing together the Greens and the Insubordinate France would settle for six years at the head of Lyon and its metropolis. I do not want that, in view of the serious consequences for our economy, our jobs and our social cohesion ”.
Collomb on the sidelines, a profitable strategy?
The agreement reached can prove to be mathematically profitable. But it remains to be seen whether the mayonnaise will take up in the voting booths. The merger was decided "on the ground", without the approval of the national bodies of the Republic on the move and the Republicans. Without the opinion of activists either.
Several right-wing mayors, such as Philippe Cochet (Caluire), Alexandre Vincendet (Rillieux) or Christophe Quiniou (Meyzieu) did not want such a union for the benefit of Gérard Collomb. Now that the elected official has withdrawn from the race, they will certainly have less trouble voting for their candidate François-Noël Buffet in the metropolis. And to convince their constituents to make the same choice.
In the camp of the former Collomb allies, the problem is different. The elected representatives of the Lyon Gauche Solidaires and Lyon Métropole Gauche Solidaires groups have already expressed their feelings: “dismay”. "If we remain proud of the work done, we have a feeling of betrayal when we see Gérard Collomb joining those who have always opposed our policies in an attempt to give them the keys to the metropolis", they react, denouncing a "Desperate and Desperate Final Poker Stroke".
Zorah Ait-Maten who appeared on Gérard's lists announced in the process that she was retiring. “I had chosen to follow him out of loyalty, an important and rare thing in politics, and because all the work done by our teams deserved to be continued. My conscience weighs much heavier than a mandate ”, explains the one who describes herself above all as“ a viscerally leftist woman ”.
"This" illiberal "and ultra-conservative right is not compatible with my humanist values," adds Bernard Bochard, the mayor of the 9th arrondissement of Lyon, who still hopes for a reorganization between Collomb and Kimelfeld.
What reservoir of voices for the Greens?
Arriving at the head of the first round, the ecologists could hope to win at the end of a quadrangular. Now that the cards are dealt, the equation looks more complicated to solve. EELV, which refused any possibility of alliance for the second round, seems to be ready to merge with the United Left, led by Sandrine Runel.
To ensure they win, they would also have to find common ground with Nathalie-Perrin-Gilbert (10.6% in the first round) and David Kimelfeld, the outgoing president of the metropolis whose lists collected 12% of votes in Lyon and 17% in mainland France. If the latter seems willing to start discussions in the coming days, Bruno Bernard has made no secret of his reluctance to the idea of approaching a candidate from LREM.
The results of the 1st round in Lyon
Meanwhile, environmentalists are betting on their program to mobilize more voters. They approach the prospect of June 28 with confidence, convinced that climate change remains one of the fundamental concerns of voters.
"The great Lyonnais now have the choice between this anti-climate coalition and without political project and the ecological lists open to all those who understood the challenges of today," said Bruno Bernard. And to conclude: "The social and economic crisis will require a flawless mobilization to support and revive our economy by taking into account climate issues. Faced with those who have no other ambition than the conservation of power, it is time to open a new ambitious era, up to the historical challenges that await us.
Lyon
Municipal in 2020 in Lyon: Collomb will not be a candidate for the presidency of the metropolis and sells the top of the list to LR Buffet
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