Jean Castex, April 1, 2021. -

Jacques Witt / SIPA

  • The regional and departmental were postponed for several weeks, last March, due to the coronavirus epidemic.

  • For several months, the political class has been wondering about the wish of the executive to maintain or not the election in June.

  • According to our information, Jean Castex should defend the maintenance of the poll in June during the debates scheduled for tomorrow in the National Assembly and Wednesday in the Senate.

But what the hell does the government want to do with this election?

For several weeks, the political class has been wondering about the wish of the executive to maintain or not in June the regional and departmental elections, already postponed to last March due to the coronavirus epidemic.

After several weeks of procrastination, the government found itself embroiled in a new controversy this weekend, after choosing to directly consult the mayors on health measures in view of the polls on June 13 and 20.

The opposition has again accused the executive of wanting to avoid a defeat before the presidential election of 2022. But according to our information, Prime Minister Jean Castex should well defend the maintenance of the elections on June 13 and 20, Tuesday in l National Assembly and Wednesday in the Senate.

56% of mayors participating in the consultation voted to maintain

The government surprised its world on Friday, asking the prefects to seek the opinion of the 35,000 mayors of France on the fate of the elections.

The elected officials had until Monday noon to answer "yes" or "no" to this question: "do the conditions recommended by the scientific committee seem to you to be met to hold the two ballots"?

This initiative drew criticism from the opposition and associations of elected officials, who criticized the executive for once again wanting to postpone elections deemed unfavorable for the majority.

But the results communicated this Monday at the end of the day by the Ministry of the Interior should calm the debates.

69% of mayors (24,257) took part in this consultation.

And 56% of the local elected officials questioned (13,513) voted to keep the ballot next June, against 40% no (9,812), and while 4% did not answer the question asked.

"Possible changes to the voting methods"

This significant participation is to be welcomed, ”says Beauvau in a press release, while the government has been criticized for having organized an express consultation over two days.

"The Minister of the Interior has given the Prime Minister possible changes to the voting methods by drawing inspiration directly from the proposals of the mayors arising from this consultation, with a view to the parliamentary debate", it is specified.

Whether or not the elections are to be held in June will now be the subject of a debate followed by a vote.

At the beginning of April, Jean Castex had already indicated that he favored "at this stage" the maintenance of the elections in June.

But the consultation launched with the mayors and the statements of the President of the National Assembly Richard Ferrand, in favor of a postponement, had revived in recent days the doubt about the intentions of the government.

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  • LREM

  • Government

  • Jean Castex

  • Mayor

  • Political party

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Regional elections