Marseille (AFP)

Candidate "whatever happens": MP LREM of Marseille Saïd Ahamada announced Tuesday that he would run for mayor of Marseille in March by refusing to wait longer for the investiture of his party.

"There are only 117 days left to build this progressive arc needed to reach the city with partners, it is necessary to commit and it requires going out of the woods," said the deputy during a press conference.

The elected official said he took his decision on the first anniversary of the collapse of buildings that killed 8 people in Aubagne on November 5, 2018.

"I am a candidate for mayor of Marseille whatever happens, to give us a chance to build this progressive arc, because it takes time," he insisted, not to give up the nomination of his side.

"I was told at first that the LREM candidate had to leave before the summer, then in July, then November and now we are talking about December! We are in the red zone," said the elected.

"But I think that I will be chosen, in my opinion the CNI (Editor's note: National Committee of nomination) will validate my candidacy, it will rather facilitate him the job", he let go, denying want to twist his arm to left.

Elected Deputy of the northern districts of Marseille in 2017, Said Ahamada, 47, was the first candidate for the inauguration LREM for the mayor of Marseille, June 8.

He was followed by Yvon Berland, former president of Aix-Marseille University, on July 18th. "I pledged to respect the rules set by LREM," he reacted on Tuesday with AFP, saying "remain calm and confident" and also speaking of the need to "bring out a progressive arc."

Other names circulate, such as that of the Dean of Law Faculty of Aix-en-Provence Jean-Philippe Agresti, or that of the former head of local employers Johan Bencivenga.

But the Parisian staff has never seemed delighted with these applications, to the point of sending in mid-October an emissary in Marseille, Jean-Marc Borello, the president of the social and solidarity economy group SOS, for " start again from the beggining".

Son of Comorian immigrant who grew up in a sensitive area of ​​Marseille, the city Felix-Pyat (3rd), Said Ahamada wishes "a highly ecological project for Marseille" and "reconcile the Marseillais between them".

For the municipal elections of March 15 and 22 in Marseille, several candidates are already campaigning to succeed the mayor LR Jean-Claude Gaudin, who will not stand again after four terms: Sébastien Barles for EELV, Senator RN Stéphane Ravier, the boss of the UDE Christophe Madrolle, LR Senator Bruno Gilles and LR Chair of the Martine Vassal Department. The Republicans hope to decide between these two candidates on November 27.

On the other hand, discussions have not yet concluded for a possible joint candidacy on the left associating the PS, LFI and representatives of collective citizens.

© 2019 AFP