Marseille (AFP)

The leader of France Insoumise and deputy of Bouches-du-Rhône, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, gave his support on Saturday to the candidate of the union list of the left Michèle Rubirola for the municipal elections in Marseille, but remains "perplexed" on his strategy.

"From the point of view of the interest of the city and its breathing, the population, the citizens of Marseille have an interest in turning to the side of the list led by Ms. Rubirola," said at a conference release in Marseille Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

"For me it is simple, I am a man who comes from the left (...), so I have no trouble saying I will vote for the list of Ms. Rubirola," said the leader of La France Insoumise (LFI) which had seemed less inclined to bring its troops closer to the latter in the first round.

"In a second round, we don't hesitate between the left, even traditional, and the right for people like me," he insisted.

"The city (...) must be able to turn the page. You need, I would say to all those who live here every day, a certain sweeping, spring cleaning," he added.

In the first round, the elected ecologist Michèle Rubirola, at the head of the Printemps marseillais, an alliance of left-wing parties ranging from the PCF to the PS passing through part of the rebels, came out on top in the city with 23.44% of the voice. She was ahead of Martine Vassal (22.3% of the vote), LR president of the Aix-Marseille metropolitan area supported by the outgoing mayor, Jean-Claude Gaudin, who chose to pass the baton after 25 years of reign.

In the second city of France, the election is however played according to the results in each of the eight sectors (which each bring together two arrondissements). Leading in three sectors in the first round, like her rival, Ms. Rubirola chose to withdraw her list in the 7th sector to avoid a triangular with the National Rally in these popular neighborhoods.

Conversely, the Marseilles Spring maintained its candidate in the 8th sector which will face the RN and the senator Samia Ghali (ex-PS) who benefits from the support of the ecologists, of LREM and of the withdrawal from the LR list. The two sectors are crucial and have a combined total of 28 out of the 51 councilors needed to win the mayor's election.

This strategy which has made people cringe in the Printemps Marseille. "I admit that I am sometimes a little perplexed by what I see (...)," said Mr. Mélenchon.

© 2020 AFP