• BEATRIZ JUDGE

    @JuezBeatriz

    Paris

Monday, June 29, 2020 - 02:02

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  • France. Édouard Philippe wins the mayoralty of Le Havre and the far right wins Perpignan, according to polls
  • Direct Witness. To the ballot box with mask on the 'rive gauche' in Paris

French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe yesterday won the mayoral elections in Le Havre (northern France), winning the second round with 58% of the vote for his rival, the communist Jean-Paul Lecoq . The results are clear, "Philippe said in Le Havre. The prime minister thanked the inhabitants of that Norman town in a short speech for voting for his list and giving him their confidence again.

Despite scoring that local victory, Philippe has not secured his position at the head of the national government. President Emmanuel Macron plans to remodel the Executive after the municipal elections and it is rumored that he could do without Philippe.

Macron wants to give his mandate a social and ecological turn, with the aim of winning back the electorate with a view to the 2022 presidential elections. To do this, he needs new faces in the cabinet and the French press speculates that Philippe could fall. He is expected to announce the changes in government between now and July 14, the day of the national holiday.

In recent months, the Prime Minister has combined his candidacy for mayor of Le Havre, a town of 172,000 inhabitants, with his post at the head of Matignon. His rival - who has allied himself with a large part of the left in the second round - has blamed him during the electoral campaign that the prime minister spends too much time in Paris, instead of worrying about local problems.

French law does not prohibit a minister or prime minister from running as head of the list in municipal elections. The principle of non-accumulation of mandates applies only to deputies and senators, who cannot occupy a seat and be mayors at the same time. A minister can, in theory, continue to hold office and be mayor or president of a local entity at the same time. But the Government wants that, in the event that a minister is elected mayor, he decides whether he wants to remain in the Executive or put himself at the head of the city council .

Philippe said in January, when he announced his candidacy, that if he won the Le Havre elections he would bet on staying at the head of Matignon, as long as the president still had confidence in him for that position. Once he ceased to be prime minister, he would assume mayor.

"My goal is to be mayor of Le Havre, fast . It can happen very fast. If it happens very fast, it will be fine," he told France 3 Normandy a week ago. A phrase that has given a lot to talk about during the municipal campaign both in Le Havre and in Paris.

The rumors about a change of government increase and in Paris they are already starting to make pools about who stays and who leaves the cabinet. Government heavyweights such as Bruno Le Maire (Economics), Jean-Michel Blanquer (Education), Olivier Véran (Health) and Marlène Schiappa (Secretary of State for Equality) are likely to remain in government, according to the French press. It is in doubt whether Macron will replace the interior minister, Christophe Castaner , much criticized.

"A man of the right"

The names of Jean-Yves Le Drian , current Foreign Minister, and Richard Ferrand , President of the National Assembly, are sounding strong these days in the capital as Matignon's next tenants.

Philippe - who comes from the right and is not a member of The Republic in March (LREM), Macron's party - was already mayor of Le Havre between 2010 and 2017. Macron appointed him prime minister in May 2017. "I am a man of rights, " recognized when assuming the post Philippe, who is considered moderate conservative.

Philippe's popularity has risen during the coronavirus crisis. Nationally, he is more popular than the president. While Macron lost a popularity point in the latest Ifop-Journal du Dimanche monthly barometer, Philippe rose four points. 50% of the French are satisfied with the Prime Minister's administration , compared to 38% who approve of Macron's. Twelve points of difference. The French highlight Philippe's "bravery" and that he has spoken frankly during the management of the health crisis. He wanted to go slower than Macron in the de-escalation.

The fact that Philippe is more popular than Macron makes many wonder if it is not better to have him near, than outside the Government, in case he dreams of the Elysee Palace. "Philippe will not be a candidate in 2022 against Macron," MEP Gilles Boyer , a friend of the prime minister , recently assured the TMC network . On that side, it seems that Macron will, for the moment, be able to breathe easy.

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