The second round of municipal elections, which had been postponed because of the Covid-19 health crisis, will take place either in June or in January 2021, said Edouard Philippe, Wednesday May 20, during a meeting with representatives of the political parties, according to several participants.

"The Prime Minister has dismissed September very clearly, and the fall too, saying it is June or January," reported the chairman of the Les Républicains party, Christian Jacob. According to several party officials, the head of government explained that it took a month and a half to campaign and that it would be complicated with the start of the school year, while in October it would be impossible to interrupt the session of debates on the budget in Parliament.

>> Read: Will the second round of municipal elections be held in June?

Édouard Philippe stressed that no decision was made at this stage, according to several participants. Questioned, the entourage of the Prime Minister told AFP to work on two hypotheses, including that of a postponement of the elections but not beyond January 2021. A bill is in preparation and examined by the Council of State in case of postponement.

"Significant" health risks

The report that the government must submit by Friday to Parliament will contain a direction for Matignon's position, said the source.

In an opinion delivered on Tuesday, the Scientific Council, an institution on which the executive relies to make its decisions since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, did not formally oppose the organization of the second round of municipal elections in June, while evoking "significant" health risks inherent in the electoral campaign.

Emmanuel Macron and Édouard Philippe were strongly criticized for having maintained the first round on March 15, just two days before the start of confinement in France. They therefore wanted this time to involve all the parties in their decision-making.

With AFP

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