Paris (AFP)
The Republicans have decided Wednesday on the thorny case of Marseille by choosing Martine Vassal for municipal elections, rather than his rival Bruno Gilles who immediately said he would continue his campaign.
The National Commission of Investiture (CNI) has given its support to Mrs. Vassal, 57, president of the metropolis Aix-Marseille-Provence and the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, by 27 votes against 11 to Mr. Gilles, 58 years, senator and president of the influential federation of Bouches-du-Rhone Republicans, we learned from the party.
In a statement Mr. Gilles immediately expressed his "disappointment", even "heartbreaking": "I will continue my campaign" to be "the full-time mayor that the population claims", he added, regretting that "the weight of the system" has prevailed.
Mrs Vassal, knighted by the outgoing mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin, remained a quarter of a century at the helm of the Phocaean city, was supported by some 90 local elected officials and given to his rival in the polls. She had already received in the morning the support of the Free movement! of Valérie Pécresse.
"I do not settle for (Bruno Gilles) carries a dissident candidacy of our political family and (I) call him to join me to associate our forces and our ideas to the service of the Marseillaises and the Marseillais", has she said in a statement released Wednesday night.
"I have always been open-minded and call for the rally to make Marseilles successful.The future of Marseille requires the mobilization of all, in the union, the sole guarantor of success to give a new impetus to our city", insisted Mrs. Vassal.
"It's a decision of wisdom that was needed," commented Jean-Claude Gaudin who called Bruno Gilles "to respect the decision of (his) political family". "I do not doubt that reason and wisdom will prevail, once past its legitimate disappointment".
"Bruno, if he wishes, will be our head of the list for the Bouches-du-Rhone" senatoriales for 2020, had proposed Mr. Gaudin Tuesday in the columns of Figaro, reaffirming his support for Ms. Vassal: " With her, we can recover the voters of Mr. Macron, "he pleaded.
The president LR Christian Jacob had received in November the two contenders, both members of the municipal majority for more than 15 years, to try to unravel their risky rivalry in this bastion of the right since 1995.
Negotiations were betting on the sharing of investitures of the metropolis and the city, Mr Gilles defending this idea of "full-time mayor" while Mrs. Vassal refused to dissociate the two presidencies in the name of the interweaving of competences.
For the municipal elections of March 15 and 22, several candidates are already campaigning to succeed Jean-Claude Gaudin, 80, who will not stand again after four terms: Sébastien Barles for EELV, Senator RN Stéphane Ravier and the boss of the UDE Christophe Madrolle.
Discussions have not yet been concluded for a possible joint candidacy involving leftist PS, LFI and representatives of collective citizens. On the side of LREM, no candidate has yet been designated but the deputy March of Marseille Saïd Ahamada ensures that it will seek the mayor.
© 2019 AFP