Pau (AFP)

The mayor of Pau François Bayrou announced Friday that he was a candidate for his own succession to the municipal elections, believing that there was "a lot to do" in the Béarnaise capital, the end of a real-false suspense, a few weeks before ballot.

"During these six years, we have done a lot for the city, its face has changed (...) but there is still a lot to do because this effort for six years is not enough to entrench it," said the mayor of Pau and patron of MoDem to his supporters from the terrace of a restaurant.

Mr. Bayrou, 68, incarnation of the capital of Bearn since 2014, had then captured, with 62.95% of the votes in the second round, this city of 77,000 inhabitants from the socialist party which had led it since 1971.

François Bayrou thus puts an end to a real-false suspense while his government ambitions have moved away due to judicial turbulence.

Asked by the press about a possible return to the national scene, he also evacuated: "I do not know if it must be said that there are no risks, no chances or no probability, c is a question that is out of season ".

The boss of the MoDem was indicted on 6 December for complicity in the misappropriation of public funds, like other centrist figures, in the investigation of possible fictitious jobs of assistants of centrist MEPs who have embarrassed the party since 2017.

That year it cost him his job as Minister of Justice. "These are unfounded accusations" for him and his friends, he reiterated, maintaining that "two thirds of the indictments lead to acquittals".

For the time being, this indictment has caused little impact locally and the ground seems clear for the centrist mayor who will advance in the face of a divided left opposition.

"Everyone says it, the city is beautiful, it must be as good to live in," argued the mayor, highlighting his record, which notably includes the "first plan of isolation in France" or the first bus. to hydrogen "to the world".

Emmanuel Macron went to Pau in mid-January to receive the five countries of the Sahel, pay tribute to the soldiers stationed in Pau who fell in Mali and inaugurate this new ecological bus. This visit had been seen as the president's marked support for his early ally, despite the legal troubles.

In Pau, Mr. Bayrou, supported in 2014 by the Republicans, has not yet disclosed the composition of his list but he intends to "gather (...), without worrying about labels," he said.

The place chosen for his declaration of candidacy had been kept discreet, which did not prevent three demonstrators, posted under the windows, from heckling the exercise, with drumming and shouts of "Bayrou clears".

© 2020 AFP