The twists and turns continue. It is the turn of the economic crisis to invite itself into the very animated campaign of the municipal ones in Paris: the mayor PS Anne Hidalgo refused the debate envisaged Wednesday on BFMTV, finally postponed to Thursday by the chain in full social conflict.
This twist comes on top of a long list of upheavals that have marked this Parisian campaign, from the forced resignation of the LREM candidate Benjamin Griveaux to the resounding statements of the LREM candidate Agnès Buzyn on the “masquerade” of the first round, passing by the postponement of the second due to the coronavirus epidemic.
"I can't turn a blind eye to the situation"
While Anne Hidalgo, Rachida Dati (Les Républicains) and Agnès Buzyn were to debate on BFMTV, many employees of the NextRadioTV group (BFM, RMC) mobilized on Wednesday against a savings plan which plans to eliminate nearly a third positions to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 crisis.
No question for the candidate of the left, Anne Hidalgo, to participate in a debate under these conditions. "I cannot close my eyes to the situation of these employees, and under these conditions, because the democratic debate must take place in serene conditions, I will not participate in the debate", wrote, in a press release, the candidate supported by the “Paris en Commun” platform (socialists, communists, elected representatives of Generations, and personalities from civil society).
She asked the chain to postpone the debate "in order to respect the right to strike of its employees", after having received, earlier, a delegation of strikers.
The chain finally announced Wednesday evening the postponement of the debate until Thursday evening, because of the suspension of the strike movement. Rachida Dati and Agnès Buzyn did not immediately say whether they would participate.
Before the channel's announcement, the campaign team of Agnes Buzyn had estimated that Anne Hidalgo thus found "reasons not to make a debate".
Agnes Buzyn "will not participate in a debate in which the three candidates are not present," concluded Gaspard Gantzer, responsible for the candidate's communication. LR side, we did not see "why we should change everything for one person," said Nelly Garnier, campaign manager of Rachida Dati, who had proposed to the strikers "to give them part of his speaking time".
Go all
Four days before the second round, this debate was to close a long campaign and give Rachida Dati and Agnès Buzyn, classified second and third, the opportunity to play their all-out against a socialist candidate who, comforted by her lead, is already revealing the outlines of its next mandate.
After announcing the pedestrianization around the Canal Saint-Martin, in the east of the capital, or the maintenance of the 50 km of cycle paths known as "coronapists", Anne Hidalgo sets out the cast of her future team, with, in case of victory , Emmanuel Grégoire as First Deputy, and the arrival of new personalities in the executive, like the former journalist Audrey Pulvar.
For Agnes Buzyn, the challenge had to be that of "mobilizing her electorate," said Gaspard Gantzer. In the final stretch, the former Minister of Health now divides her time between the field, the media, and the preparation of "his hearing before the parliamentary committee scheduled for Tuesday", two days after the second round, said his entourage at AFP.
Parliamentarians want to question him about his role in the management of masks and in the health crisis.
An important step for the doctor specializing in hematology who "asked to have access to documents when she was minister" to prepare. In vain, said his entourage to AFP. "It is not prepared by the executive, it's huge bullshit!" "
Municipal
Municipales 2020 in Paris: A look back on a campaign worthy of “Baron Noir”
Politics
EXCLUSIVE. Municipales 2020 in Paris: "Rachida Dati is the Paris of the car and the inter-self", tackle Anne Hidalgo
- Municipal
- Agnes Buzyn
- Rachida Dati
- Anne Hidalgo
- Paris