Paris (AFP)
The president of the Republicans Christian Jacob called everyone "to the sense of responsibility" and to the union after the announcement on Thursday of a dissident LR candidacy for the mayor of Marseille, following complex negotiations to gather a majority.
"I call everyone responsible" in "dialogue and discussion", said AFP Mr. Jacob, stressing that "there is no question of making an alliance with the Rally national, no more than with rebellious France ".
"We have always rejected extremes" and "I remain unambiguous on this," he added, calling "for a union candidate to be found". "Everyone must come together," he said.
A second elected Les Républicains, Lionel Royer-Perreaut, announced Thursday on Facebook his candidacy for the post of mayor of Marseille and his refusal to support Guy Teissier, to whom the leader LR Martine Vassal had given way a few hours earlier.
"I know that there are ongoing agreements with the National Front, and I cannot subscribe to an alliance strategy with the National Front," said Mr. Royer-Perreaut in a video message.
Mr. Jacob, who had "all the Marseille officials on the phone", stressed the "sense of responsibility" of Ms. Vassal in this process.
"It is normal, when the results are so tight, that there is tension", but "everyone must be aware of the situation in which we are", he added.
"We can be in a position to keep Marseille, everyone should be able to look in the mirror if we fail," he added.
In the absence of an absolute majority at the end of the second round, the election of the mayor of Marseille, which is done by sectors, will be played on Saturday during the municipal council.
While the left coalition has 42 votes, it will have to fight to win the majority against LR (which also has 42 votes). The voices of the elected National Rally (9) and of the ex-PS senator Samia Ghali (8) are at the heart of all attention.
© 2020 AFP