Paris (AFP)

The Minister of Agriculture Didier Guillaume, candidate for mayor of Biarritz facing the Secretary of State Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne ally of the outgoing mayor, assured Tuesday that he "will respect the arbitration of the President of the Republic" on these two fratricidal applications.

Two candidate ministers "it is inconceivable and baroque and that will not happen obviously, it is not possible that two members of the government present themselves against each other, even if my colleague is on a list and that I I aspire to be mayor, "noted Mr. Guillaume on BFMTV and RMC.

After having "a discussion" with the Prime Minister and the Head of State, "I await their arbitration which will happen in my opinion in the hours and days to come, and I will respect the president's arbitration of the Republic, "he said.

"If I were to be mayor of Biarritz, I would leave the government because it is the rule set by the Prime Minister", he added: "if the President of the Republic or the Prime Minister asks Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne and myself if we want to be candidates in Biarritz to leave the government, I will leave the government if it is the will of the president ".

Edouard Philippe had estimated in mid-January that it was "not conceivable that two members of the government could be candidates against each other in the long term", after the announcement by Mr. Guillaume that he presented a list in Biarritz opposite that of the outgoing mayor (MoDem) Michel Veunac, on which the Secretary of State for Tourism and Foreign Trade Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne presents himself.

The Minister of Public Accounts Gérald Darmanin, who announced his candidacy at the top of the list in Tourcoing (North) on Monday, said that even if he was "mayor and minister for seven months", he is " not healthy to combine the two over time ".

"I will obviously comply with the rule chosen by the President of the Republic. Minister, this is temporary. Mayor, local elected representative, is the commitment of a lifetime," he said.

© 2020 AFP