Paris (AFP)

With the deconfinement, the assumption of the end of June of the second round of the municipal elections resurfaces, but the government remains cautious and defers to the opinion of the Scientific Council which must say by May 23 if the conditions sanitary facilities are combined.

The challenge is that of economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis, for which the municipalities will have a central role.

Another hypothesis, defended by the Association of Mayors of France (AMF): a postponement of the vote in September, without waiting for the month of October first mentioned by the government.

Scheduled initially on March 22, the second round of municipal elections was postponed in extremis the day after the first round, due to the health crisis.

Deemed unrealistic a few weeks ago, the possibility of organizing it before summer finds supporters with the partial resumption of activity.

"If we are able to open schools, colleges, high schools, shops, I do not see in the name of what the second round could not be held in June", if "the sanitary conditions allow it", pleads the patron of LR deputies, Christian Jacob.

Municipal elected officials, like Stéphane Le Foll, PS mayor coming out of Le Mans, also consider that if we can reopen schools and shops, "we must be able to organize the second round in June".

According to an elected official from Hauts-de-France, the hypothesis of a second round on June 28 would even be preferred by the Head of State and the Prime Minister, eager to end the episode of the municipal elections. "They tell themselves that if they redo the whole process in the fall, the first round will be even worse than March 15" for the macronists, said another northern elected official.

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The government for its part takes refuge behind the opinion of the Scientific Council, following which Edouard Philippe must submit "no later than May 23" a report to Parliament which will determine whether the second round can take place in June, as planned by the health emergency law of 23 March.

Otherwise, a new date must be fixed in agreement with the Parliament.

Arriving in the lead himself with 43.6% of the vote in the first round in Le Havre, the Prime Minister however showed his willingness to accelerate the movement. The government gave the green light on Tuesday to the installation in the coming days of municipal councils elected in the first round.

The alternative that is looming is as follows: either we vote at the end of June, for the second round only, in some 5,000 municipalities where the first round was not conclusive. Either we redo the two towers in the fall in this category of municipalities.

Without totally ruling out the June hypothesis, the president of the Association of Mayors of France (AMF), François Baroin, pleads for the second round to be held "in the second half of September". A proposal "quite reasonable" according to Christian Jacob, if the poll cannot be held in June.

Municipal teams must get to work as soon as possible to prepare for the economic rebound, supports the AMF, which brings together almost all of the 35,000 mayors of France.

About 70% of public procurement comes from communities, especially municipalities and intermunicipal companies in the construction sector. And the second round concerns in particular the big cities where the new teams must be able to launch the sites.

Outgoing mayors - sometimes beaten or who did not stand for re-election - whose mandate has been extended, do not necessarily have the legitimacy to initiate new projects.

Gérard Larcher (LR), President of the Senate, Chamber of Territories, also plays with caution: "The sanitary conditions will indicate whether or not to organize a second round in June", he said on Europe 1 Tuesday: "We have the law and we will have the opinion of the Scientific Council".

© 2020 AFP