Paris (AFP)

A right against left match: the second debate between the seven candidates for mayor of Paris on Tuesday evening was an opportunity for Rachida Dati (LR) and Anne Hidalgo (PS) to polarize the debate, trying to dismiss Agnès Buzyn (LREM ).

Anne Hidalgo's campaign director, Emmanuel Grégoire, assured him to AFP: "Our subject is Rachida Dati, Buzyn is no longer one".

The proof Tuesday evening: a few minutes after the start of the debate organized by France Televisions, the candidates are questioned in turn on housing, when Anne Hidalgo attacks Rachida Dati, her main rival in the polls, with whom she maintains good relationships in private.

"I would like to ask Ms. Dati what is the average income of a household with two children?" Questions the socialist, candidate supported by a "Paris en commun" platform (which brings together PS, PCF, elected Generations and personalities from the civil society).

"The average income is above the national average income", answers the candidate of the right, before the socialist cuts sharply: "You do not know him".

"I am not your pupil Mrs. Hidalgo", replies Rachida Dati, who shifts to the balance sheet of the outgoing mayor before denouncing her future alliances.

To the ecologist David Belliard, she asserts him thus "You will find yourself" with Mrs. Hidalgo.

Asked about school rates, and the four-day week that some candidates now want to abolish, Ms. Dati denounces "the radical methods (which) are the worst" and decisions imposed on families.

On cleanliness, same fight. The candidate on the right returns the mayor of Paris to his balance sheet after six years in office and "20 years" spent at the Hôtel de Ville, as assistant to Bertrand Delanoë. "70% of Parisians can no longer bear the current mandate," insists Ms. Dati.

Security ? Ms. Hidalgo, "you have to walk in Paris, you have to go to the neighborhoods," insists Ms. Dati, who wants an armed municipal police force and is conducting a drum-beating campaign, increasing since autumn her trips to the popular northeast of capital city.

- Between the right and the left, Buzyn -

According to a new Ipsos-Sopra Steria survey released on Tuesday, Ms. Hidalgo (26%, +1) widens the gap over Ms. Dati (23%, -1), while Ms. Buzyn is stable at 19%. The other participants in the debate, David Belliard (EELV, 11%), Cédric Villani (ex-LREM, 7%), Danielle Simonnet (LFI, 4.5%) and Serge Federbusch (supported by the RN, 4%), follow far behind.

Entering the campaign to quickly replace Benjamin Griveaux, who has resigned, the candidate Agnès Buzyn is trying to decline her program, without escaping the attacks, described as "significant baseness" by those around her.

"Perhaps you are used to appointments and co-optations," said Ms. Dati.

"I took risks. I left a post of minister appointed to hire me for Parisians," replied Agnès Buzyn.

"You have a lifeguard station just in case," retorts Rachida Dati. "How dare you?" Is indignant Mrs. Buzyn.

"I remind you that the mayor of Paris is there, why are you attacking me?" Asked Ms. Buzyn, who later also attacked the balance sheet of the outgoing mayor. "Mrs. Hidalgo, why wait for a municipal campaign to suddenly increase the cleanliness budget?"

As in the first debate organized last week, candidates tried to sketch second-round alliances like Anne Hidalgo sending "my Cédric" to the candidate ex-LREM, mathematician medalist Fields, and to the candidate of EELV, traditional ally of the Socialist Party in Paris.

Agnès Buzyn said she was "in tune" with Cédric Villani.

"We are not in Koh-Lanta, there it is not alliances to which you give the immunity collar," attacked Ms. Dati, accusing Ms. Buzyn of "contempt" and "playing the election in the dos "of Parisians, without clearly showing what his second round alliances will be.

Mistakenly suspected, according to her, of wanting to ally with Rachida Dati, Mrs. Buzyn tirelessly repeats that "there will be no alliance with Rachida Dati", but discussions "district by district" around "a programmatic project ".

© 2020 AFP