The decision was awaited. On January 15, Les Républicains had designated a new series of candidates for the municipal elections in March in Paris but had postponed for a week their decision concerning the burning issue of the 15th arrondissement. And for good reason. For several months, this vast territory and historic bastion of the Parisian right has smelled of sulfur. An internal battle is waged between the candidate (LR) for mayor of Paris, Rachida Dati and the outgoing mayor, Philippe Goujon, baron of the right, mayor of the 15th since 2008 but having distanced himself from his family of origin and refusing categorically to support it. Shortly after noon on Wednesday, the sentence finally fell.
The National Investiture Commission (CNI) of the Republicans has decided to invest in the 15th arrondissement, Agnès Evren, Member of the European Parliament and President of the LR Federation of Paris. "The outgoing mayor of the 15th arrondissement, Philippe Goujon, having made the choice of an application without label, Rachida Dati presented the candidacy of Agnès Evren to the CNI which validated it", indicates in a press release the team of campaign of Rachida Dati, who now has all her list heads. In the absence of Philippe Goujon's support, Rachida Dati has therefore followed through on his threat and sent one of his heavyweights to this decisive sector of Paris.
"Reclaiming Paris in this strategic district"
This district is in fact very coveted because it is the one that sends the largest contingent to the Council of Paris with 18 advisers: these "great voters" who then elect the mayor of Paris. Agnès Evren, "will bring the dynamics of Rachida Dati to reconquer Paris in this strategic district of the capital", underlines her team. "Our list is not against such and such" but aims to allow "an alternation against Anne Hidalgo", said Christian Jacob for his part who now "everything is settled in Paris". "What is at stake in March is the survival of the right in Paris", summed up a few months ago with 20 Minutes , Agnès Evren, who today congratulates the CNI for having "chosen the clarity and transparency in the 15th ”.
“Philippe Goujon was received by all the party executives, he did not move an iota, refusing to support Rachida Dati. I regret it, ”she explains this Wednesday at 20 Minutes . "As president of the LR federation of Paris, I therefore took my responsibilities so that LR voters could vote for a LR candidate," she adds. Goal ? “Amplify the dynamic around Rachida Dati who embodies a clear offer from the right. Today, work-study is possible ”, rejoices Agnès Evren. For weeks, Philippe Goujon has asserted that he would side with "the best placed to beat Anne Hidalgo". But "it would be incredible" to have to face a candidate LR, he said, however, shortly before the ax.
"Witchcraft Trial"
"I will support the candidate best placed to change mayor and political line", assured Philippe Goujon, giving himself the objective of "gathering". Whoever joined the RPR in 1976 wanted to remain "independent". This Wednesday, he persists and signs as a rider alone. “I run for mayor of the 15th and of the rally. Labels don't count and it's out of fashion. The only thing that matters is taking care of the daily life of the inhabitants as I have been doing for 12 years and as I still aspire to do it, ”he reacts to 20 Minutes. Bitter?
“I deplore this approach to division. LR saw fit to present an LR list against the outgoing mayor LR. But LR counts to lose and I want to gather to win. Anyway, I am being tried for witchcraft to eliminate myself, ”he says. And to clarify: “Agnès Evren is a member of the European Parliament. Either it deceives the voters who elected it to the European Parliament or it will deceive the voters of the 15th ”, taunts Philippe Goujon.
This elected 65-year-old Paris councilor since 1983 had decided in June 2019 to leave the LR family in favor of the Macron-compatible candidate from the right, Pierre-Yves Bournazel (100% Paris) who recently joined Benjamin Griveaux . Cédric Villani was also close to Philippe Goujon. But the current mayor of the 15th rejects any idea of alliance with LREM. "I'm not in these hallway combinations with these people who cook their little soup on their little fire in their little corner," he clashe. But the borough continues to attract lusts.
Walkers in ambush
If the dissident candidate LREM, Cédric Villani has decided for the moment to invest Géraud Guibert (president of the think tank La Fabrique ecological) at the top of the list in the 15th, on the side of Benjamin Griveaux, "the decision is not yet decided" "Nothing is yet stopped, nor announced, discussions are still in progress", indicates to 20 Minutes , the entourage of the candidate LREM in difficulty in the polls.
Our 2020 Municipal File
According to Le Monde , Agnès Buzyn, the Minister of Health is expected to be the head of the list for the 15th arrondissement, after rumors of corridors in the 6th arrondissement. But would recent polls be a game-changer? "Why would she start in the 15th when we see the current situation? », One comments disappointed, in the ranks of Parisian walkers. Another media candidate to run in the borough: Gaspard Gantzer (Parisiennes, Parisiens) who has today been released by ex-RTL journalist Isabelle Saporta.
Paris
Municipal in 2020 in Paris: Agnès Evren, president of the LR federation, invested in the 15th
Paris
Municipal in Paris: Hidalgo far ahead and Dati catches the "walkers"
- The Republicans
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- Rachida Dati
- Elections
- Paris town hall
- Paris