Paris (AFP)

Presidents of the region and elected officials of all stripes demanded a postponement of the municipal elections on Saturday evening, the first round of which is scheduled for Sunday due to the spread of the coronavirus, but the executive indicated that maintenance was in order.

The presidents of five regions - Xavier Bertrand (Hauts de France), Carole Delga (Occitanie), Renaud Muselier (PACA), Gilles Simeoni (Corsica) and Hervé Morin (Normandy) - called for a postponement of the poll, in the wake of new containment measures announced by Edouard Philippe on Saturday evening.

"It was legitimate to maintain the democratic spirit of our Nation! But tonight, faced with the facts, it becomes reasonable, consistent and even necessary to postpone the #municipal poll. It will have to stand once the epidemic is defeated collectively", a thus wrote on Twitter Mr. Muselier, also president of the association of regions of France.

The outgoing mayor of Montpellier (DVG) Philippe Saurel, the first vice-president of the Senate (LR) Philippe Dallier, the European deputy (PS / Place Publique) or even the deputy (LFI) Eric Coquerel have in turn made their doubts known or objections to the holding of the poll.

"Our mandates are worth less than the health of our fellow citizens. The position is not tenable," said the mayor (DVD) of Reims, Arnaud Robinet, close to Edouard Philippe, saying he expected "a response from the government In the evening".

"Philippe's latest announcements pose a risk to participation and therefore to the sincerity of the ballot," said the national secretary of EELV Julien Bayou to AFP.

But late Saturday evening, the Elysee Palace held its line by stating, in accordance with what Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday evening, that "the first round of the poll will take place tomorrow".

"The President made his decision on Thursday after consulting all the political leaders and after having been assured by the scientific committee that this poll could take place without risk for the French. Protect the French and maintain unity of the country were the two principles which guided its action ", underlined the Elysée

"These are the same people who asked for the maintenance at all costs Thursday, in a sometimes threatening tone, who now ask for cancellation the day before ... You have to be serious, if not to be consistent", still annoyed someone close to the president.

© 2020 AFP