The informed observers of the Marseille political scene who had predicted a hectic week for the Marseille city, in anticipation of the "third round" of the municipal elections, were not mistaken.

In particular, there had to be a question of backstage negotiations, in order to get around the deadlock situation between the Printemps de Marseille, which came out on top in terms of the number of votes after the second round of the municipal elections, but with only a relative majority for the left.

But it is especially on the right, which has governed the city since 1995, that the thunderclap sounded, Thursday, July 2. In just a few hours, the Republican candidate Martine Vassal, beaten in the 4th sector, threw in the towel in favor of Bouches-du-Rhône deputy Guy Teissier, before a second elected Les Républicains, Lionel Royer-Perreaut announces his candidacy for the post of mayor.

The right in divided rows

By announcing his withdrawal, Martine Vassal, who seemed on the night of the election to want to maintain her candidacy, assured that she could count on the return to the fold of the dissident Bruno Gilles, whose lists obtained three seats of advisers.

The blocks on the left and on the right were thus equal, according to the calculations of the president of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the metropolis Aix-Marseille, with 42 municipal councilors each, in a city where the results in the sectors weigh enormously on the composition of the municipal council.

Under the law known as PLM (Paris Lyon Marseilles), the 101 new municipal councilors will proceed to the election of the mayor of the second city of France, Saturday, during the first council of the mandate. They will have to designate Jean-Claude Gaudin's successor in an absolute majority vote in the first two rounds, or by a qualified majority in the third round. In the event of a tie during this third round, the oldest member will be elected.

It is in particular this point of settlement, which had motivated Martine Vassal, whose campaign was shaken by a scandal linked to possible false proxies, to give way to Guy Teissier, 75 years old.

But Lionel Royer-Perreaut's decision to run for office sounded the death knell for this strategy. "I know that there are ongoing agreements with the National Front and I cannot be part of an alliance strategy with the National Front "(today National Rally RN), accuses in a video message posted on Facebook Lionel Royer-Perreaut, easily re-elected Sunday evening at the town hall of the 9th and 10th arrondissements of the city.

"I cannot support the candidacy of Guy Teissier because he was not a candidate, he was not elected by the Marseillais to be designated mayor of the arrondissement and better mayor of Marseille", he said. he explains.

"There is no question of making an alliance with the RN"

Although Mr. Teissier, MP for 27 years and mayor of the sector for 18 years, was in 3rd position, during these municipal elections on the list of Lionel Royer-Perreaut, a very strong rivalry opposes the two men, according to an observer from Marseille political life cited by AFP.

Asked by AFP about the position he would adopt in the event of a victory thanks to the elected members of the RN, nine in number, Guy Teissier dodged: "It is not written on the ballots", he said. just launched.

For his part, the president of the Republicans Christian Jacob called "everyone with a sense of responsibility" in "dialogue and discussion", clarifying to AFP that "there is no question of making an alliance with the National Rally, no more than with rebellious France ".

On the left, the situation remains unchanged. The head of the Printemps Marseillais environmental list, Michèle Rubirola, is still trying to rally the ex-socialist Samia Ghali, who has eight municipal councilors.

"I hope they work with us (...) by sharing with the Printemps Marseillais a project that ensures a rebalancing of Marseille and its public policies in all sectors", wrote Wednesday in a press release Michèle Rubirola, by addressing "Samia Ghali and her running mates". 

With eight advisers, Samia Ghali, re-elected in her sector before the Communist candidate of the Printemps Marseillais, Jean-Marc Coppola, finds herself in the role of arbitrator. Very coveted, the senator, now out of business with the PS, has remained silent on her intentions since Sunday.

While assuring that she would not make "no compromises", Martine Vassal also launched a foot call to her by reminding that she had withdrawn her list in the 8th sector of the city, where the senator was re-elected Sunday, then that the Marseilles Spring had on the other hand chosen to maintain itself against it, causing a triangular with the RN.

"She is responsible for her voices, I invite you to ask her the question to see what will happen," she said. Verdict Saturday.

With AFP

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