The mayors of some 30,000 French municipalities who chose their municipal council in the first round of elections on March 15 will take office no later than May 28, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced on Tuesday May 12.

The second ballot for the remaining 5,000 communes, scheduled for March 22, had been canceled due to the coronavirus epidemic. This vote, planned for the end of June at the earliest, will depend in particular on the opinion of the Scientific Council expected on May 23.

The confinement imposed for almost two months having been lifted since Monday, "it seems possible in 30,000 of the 35,000 municipalities in our country to install municipal councils, which are most often made up of 15 people," explained Édouard Philippe during current affairs at the National Assembly. "We made the decision to install the elected municipal councils completely in the first round."

After the advice of the Scientific Council, the municipal councils elected in the first round will take office on Monday, May 18: 30,000 municipalities will have a municipal council, a mayor and elected deputies, by Thursday, May 28 at the latest. pic.twitter.com/JULcVFrqWx

- Edouard Philippe (@EPhilippePM) May 12, 2020

The ad hoc decree, published on Friday, will set the starting date for municipal and community councilors on Monday, May 18. Municipal councils will hold their first meeting within five to ten days, between May 23 and May 28.

>> Read also: "Municipal elections: how are mayors elected?"

"By Thursday 28 May at the latest, 30,000 of the 35,000 French municipalities will have a municipal council installed and a mayor and deputies elected under normal conditions," added the Prime Minister to the applause of the deputies.

No date for the second round

After advice from the Scientific Council, the government gave the green light on Tuesday morning to install the municipal councils elected in the first round. But "it is still a bit early" to consider a date for the second round, pending the advice of the Scientific Council, added Edouard Philippe.

By May 23, the Scientific Council must give another opinion on the state of the epidemic and the possibility of organizing the second round in the approximately 5,000 remaining municipalities.

>> To read also: "Marked by the fear of the coronavirus, the municipal elections did not make a recipe"

The government considers that the provisions in force as part of the state of health emergency and an order to come Wednesday in the Council of Ministers "will allow the implementation of the recommendations of the committee of scientists", which recommended compliance strict sanitary conditions.

The installation of the municipal councils elected in the first round had been postponed, as well as the holding of the second round, scheduled for March 22, due to the health crisis, the mandate of the outgoing mayors being then extended.

The councils of around 79% of the municipalities concerned have less than 20 elected officials and 95% less than 30, according to official figures.

With AFP and Reuters

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