Paris (AFP)

François Bayrou, president of MoDem, accused the opposition on Wednesday of having "lacked civility" by asking for the maintenance of the first round of the municipal elections, whereas, according to him, president Emmanuel Macron was ready to postpone the poll.

"While the President of the Republic was won over to the idea" of postponing the first round of March 15, "political leaders of the opposition and not least, all the opposition political organizations in truth, said + it is an attack on democracy, we want to prevent us from holding the elections, it is scandalous, we will speak out publicly + ", regretted Mr. Bayrou on BFMTV and RMC.

According to the mayor of Pau, his ally Emmanuel Macron wanted "a consensus" to postpone these elections. "This is what should have been done for health reasons, for psychological reasons. We cannot at the same time close bars and restaurants, ask people not to leave their homes and then maintain this organization "from the first round, he added.

According to him, "There has been a lack of civility" on the part of the opposition. But "I don't want to be in internal polemics of French politics today. It is not welcome. What they are doing does not give place to this feeling of co-responsibility which must animate us all" , he added.

Emmanuel Macron had decided on March 12 to maintain the first round of municipal on Sunday, explaining rely on the advice of scientists for whom "nothing stood in the way" of its holding. At the request of the Head of State, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe had consulted all the political families on the same day. "They expressed the same will," said the president.

The head of government then reiterated on March 17 that the decision to maintain the poll had been "based on scientific grounds" and that it was "fully accepted".

© 2020 AFP