Levallois-Perret (AFP)

Invectives, pressures, attempts at alliance ...: despite their heavy convictions on appeal, the Balkany spouses still want to be king makers in Levallois-Perret before the second round of the municipal elections where three lists, including the outgoing team, compete , led by a candidate violently disavowed by the Balkanys.

"I propose that we join forces to offer a one-way ticket (to Agnès Pottier-Dumas) for Ulaanbaatar, the beautiful capital of Mongolia, where I am sure that she will enjoy herself immensely".

On his Facebook account, Patrick Balkany, 71, attacks almost daily the one he nevertheless dubbed from his prison in December, to take over and report to the town hall of Levallois.

Isabelle Balkany, 72, who reigned with her husband in this posh town of Hauts-de-Seine for 37 years almost without interruption describes a woman with a behavior of "a rare lowliness".

Despite their conviction at the end of May to 5 and 4 years in prison for laundering tax fraud, Patrick and Isabelle Balkany still intend to weigh in their own way on the fate of Levallois.

The reason for the disgrace: the refusal by Agnès Pottier-Dumas (LR), according to her, to offer once elected the post of director of the city's communication to Isabelle Balkany and to appoint Patrick Balkany to Semalrep, a company 'mixed economy owned by Levallois and responsible for major development projects.

The candidate formalizes this refusal during a debate on France 3, before the first round of municipal elections. 48 hours earlier, she said that she had received a call from the former mayor who warned her: "you deny what you want, but you will do it anyway. I helped you, now it's your turn".

"After the debate, he called me, yelling at me," says Agnes Pottier-Dumas, "it knocked me down." Patrick Balkany even goes so far as to summon her to his office to have her sign a letter promising to hire her after the election, which she refuses.

- A surprise in the "3rd round"? -

The former mayor then threatened to call Arnaud de Courson (DVD), a sworn enemy of the Balkany couple, a historic opponent whom they regularly humiliate during city council meetings.

Mr. de Courson collected 20.8% on his name in the first round. Far from 34.6% of Agnes Pottier-Dumas. Patrick Balkany therefore decides to reunite on the day of Pentecost in his mill of Giverny all the candidates able to maintain themselves in the second round, in order to form an anti Pottier-Dumas front.

Maud Bregeon, the LREM candidate who collected 15% of the votes, refuses to go there, unlike Lies Messatfa (DVC), fourth with 14.2%.

The business fails: Lies Messatfa decides to stay alone and Mr. de Courson and Ms. Bregeon make an alliance, while forcefully rejecting the patronage of the former mayor.

"The rally I agree, but it is around Patrick Balkany I am much less," insists Maud Bregeon. Lies Messatfa denounces him "scheming" and "power games" to justify the maintenance of his candidacy.

Patrick Balkany and his wife also tried to turn the outgoing municipal team against its top of the list. "My big fear was how the team would react, with people like me, very attached to the Balkany", recognizes Agnès Pottier-Dumas ,.

"They called each other to try to lead a revolution against me," she said, but only three of them defected according to Ms. Pottier-Dumas.

However, Patrick Balkany does not admit defeat. He denies having claimed a post from his successor, but says he was "treated in a completely infamous manner" by his former chief of staff and parliamentary assistant, without giving further details.

Some voices imagine him preparing a coup for the "3rd round", the election of the mayor during the first municipal council.

"We will see what happens. The 3rd rounds can always hold surprises," said Patrick Balkany.

© 2020 AFP