Marseille city hall -
FREDERIC MUNSCH / SIPA
Before Monday's historic city council in Marseille to elect a new mayor, each political camp is refining its strategies.
The left seeks to obtain a broad consensus around Benoît Payan, necessary for his election.
The right, for its part, prefers to wait to determine its strategy depending on what the left will do.
For a long time, on a piece of furniture at the entrance to the mayor's office of Jean-Claude Gaudin, a surprising image sat prominently.
From
La Provence
, a
Games of Thrones
caricature
with, instead of the main characters of the famous series, the faces of Marseille political figures.
The mayor LR of Marseille left with his funny image, but Marseille political life retains its airs of a romantic series.
The resignation this Tuesday of Michèle Rubirola, officially for health reasons, opened a new episode in the municipal saga with already multiple twists: that of an unexpected fourth round, which will take place this Monday at the city council.
The current first deputy, the socialist Benoît Payan has been appointed by the mayor to take over from Michèle Rubirola, who claims for his part the post of first deputy.
After administering a cure of silence, including on social networks on which he is usually very active, Benoît Payan addressed his voters via Facebook, this Wednesday afternoon, to confirm the thunderous news : "I will introduce myself to concretize the project that we have carried out together, that of involving all Marseillais, to raise our city and to put an end to the negligence of recent years".
"This grub, these shenanigans"
"We deeply regret this grub, these shenanigans, which are exactly what today distracts our fellow citizens from politics, from public affairs," denounced the LR opposition in a press release.
“This situation clearly poses a question of local democracy, and maintains a certain confusion, analyzes political scientist Nicolas Maisetti.
Behind all this is the question of a kind of democratic forfeiture.
Some of the Marseille Spring, off, are moved by it, saying that it sends a not terrible democratic image.
"
Officially, Benoît Payan has the full support of his running mates.
"Within our group, there is good cohesion, which was even reinforced after the announcement of Michèle Rubirola", says Olivia Fortin, one of the linchpins of Printemps Marseillais.
But with its relative majority, the Marseilles Spring alone does not have the sufficient base to catapult one of its members into the chair of mayor without an alliance.
It is also thanks to a large union of the left that Michèle Rubirola was elected last July, after being appointed head of the list to obtain a consensus within the movement, from which Benoît Payan did not benefit.
Samia Ghali still silent
In a long press release sent on Tuesday, the leader of environmentalists within the city council, Sébastien Barles, deeply regrets the departure of his “friend” Michèle Rubirola… without ever mentioning the name of Benoît Payan once.
"We will continue to be united in our diversity for the respect of the common contract", warns even the one who was candidate for municipal, against the Marseilles Spring.
Especially, while the main Marseille political figures reacted a few hours after the resignation of Michèle Rubirola, a deputy mayor detonated by her silence.
And not the least.
"I have not met Samia Ghali since last week, launches Jean-Marc Coppola, another pillar of Printemps Marseille, current assistant to culture.
Why isn't she talking?
I don't know, she must be stunned, dumbfounded… She must need time to discuss with her group and then express herself.
"
"We all need to talk"
The media representative of the northern districts, who won only eight seats on the city council last summer, has been seeking for years to weigh in the municipal game.
She had not been part of the Marseille Spring, preferring to lead her own lists, and has nurtured strained relations in the past with Benoît Payan.
“Today, we all need to talk,” says Yannick Ohanessian, close to Benoît Payan and deputy mayor.
It is therefore obvious that we are having discussions with Samia Ghali and that the link has been established.
"
According to our information, if the candidacy of Benoît Payan for the post of mayor still arouses reluctance, the elected officials of the Marseille Spring and Samia Ghali could line up behind the socialist on Monday in the municipal council in favor of promises concerning the next departmental elections and regional.
Asked by SMS on the date of a speech by the senator on the subject, his entourage replied with a single word: "Soon".
Arbitrations in progress?
“I read here and there that there are ongoing arbitrations, annoys Jean-Marc Coppola.
This is wrong, there is no debate.
Samia Ghali had also said after July 4 that she would never have voted on the right.
Would some take advantage of the situation out of opportunism to negotiate something?
But who would dare to crack this left majority?
"
Faced with this uncertain scenario, the right is patient.
It met this Wednesday in the morning, without making a decision on which candidate to present or not on Monday.
“We are 37 people of various talents, and we will be in discussion until Sunday evening, warns LR leader Catherine Pila.
We let things come from the Marseille Spring, which lacks unity and we are waiting for Sunday evening to see what happens on their side.
"
For his part, Senator Stéphane Ravier (RN) cries out fraud and calls for new elections to be held.
“It is for me the least probable scenario, but some, including within the Spring, are in the process of making their calculations, affirms Nicolas Maisetti.
This would require a collective resignation of the municipal council, which would cause new elections which some believe could be even more favorable to the Marseille Spring.
They think in particular that they can recover the 11-12, marred by the stories of false proxies, and the 15-16 and thus be definitely rid of the Ghali problem.
But it's also very risky!
"
Politics
Marseille: Mayor Michèle Rubirola resigns for "health" reasons
Politics
Marseille: The opposition wonders about the future of Michèle Rubirola and denounces "a political grub"
Mayor
Marseilles
Succession
Michele Rubirola
Resignation