In Fort-de-France, Hidalgo campaigning, but the population still far from the presidential election

Europe 1 with AFP 6:32 p.m., February 15, 2022

In Fort-de-France, Anne Hidalgo received a warm welcome from the population on Monday for her last day in the West Indies, but many initially recognized her as the mayor of Paris more than the presidential candidate.

In the streets of the capital of Martinique, his visit, surrounded by journalists, does not go unnoticed.

"She's the mayor of Paris, what is she doing here?" asks a lady.

Another rushes to take a selfie with the PS candidate.

But when asked if she knows who this lady in the green dress is, she replies: "She's an important woman, I was told she was a fighter like me. She's a minister, right?"

"The presidential election is not a carnival, but not far"

It is specified to her that she is a candidate for the presidency of the Republic.

The lady enthuses: “so I did well to take a photo. I hope she will be president, she looks nice, and in addition a woman, it would be good for the country”.

To a carnival costume merchant, who invites her to participate in the next festivities planned for the beginning of March, Anne Hidalgo replies: "I am preparing for the presidential election, it's not a carnival but not far".

Seen from Paris, where the boss of the PS Olivier Faure assured again in the morning that he did not intend to "unplug" the candidate, the campaign of Anne Hidalgo, credited between 1.5 and 3% of the voting intentions, continues under the radar in the West Indies.

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Patrick Kanner alongside Anne Hidalgo

On the spot, the enthusiasm can be quite different.

“Anne Hidalgo, Hello! The favorite of the French,” suddenly exclaims a salesperson who harangues the customer at the entrance to his store.

"You're the next president, she's here, she's here!", he shouts, before trying to teach her a few words in Creole.

At the entrance to the covered market in Fort-de-France, a tourist on vacation approaches.

"Dear colleague, welcome," he told her, introducing himself as the mayor of Saint-Philippe d'Aiguille, a commune in Gironde.

“Your sponsorship is gone?”, inquires immediately the senator Patrick Kanner, present alongside the candidate.

"Oh, you don't need it," discards the mayor, a bit embarrassed.

Hidalgo pushed by the local anchoring of the PS

Struggling in the polls but strong in the local anchoring of the Socialist Party, Anne Hidalgo had 790 signatures from elected officials on Thursday.

The candidate, who took the opportunity to buy colombo and two little Madras fabric dresses for her granddaughters, takes selfies.

Béatrice, a tourist from Maine-et-Loire on vacation, asks him for a photo and wishes him "good luck".

"Of course", she recognized the mayor of Paris, but she admits it: she does not know "not at all" for whom she is going to vote.

“We are not yet interested” in the presidential election.

Same answer for Franck, who came from Pays-de-la-Loire, delighted that his 17-year-old son was able to take a photo.

"I admit that I haven't immersed myself in it yet," he says.

A little further on, a surly Guadeloupean calls out to the candidate: "Don't come here to talk," she told her.

"No, I come to act", replies the candidate, "we women, we act".

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The Republic "has forgotten real equality overseas", says Hidalgo

The lady answers in Creole, that if we give her 1,000 euros, she will vote for her.

"We don't buy votes," retorted dryly the first secretary of the socialist federation of the PS, Béatrice Bellay, outraged.

The lady explains that "we are poor here, that's why I'm asking. We have to say what's going on".

"Here in Martinique, there is a lot of poverty and unemployed young people", admits Anne Hidalgo to the press, believing that the Republic had "forgotten real equality" for the Overseas Territories.

"When I see the situation that our compatriots are going through, it leads me not to let go," says the candidate.

A little further on her husband, Jean-Marc Germain, also made his purchases.

For Valentine's Day, he gave the candidate "three little lucky charm bracelets".

One is pink "for obvious reasons", the second blue white red, the third in the colors of Martinique, green yellow red.

"She will wear them when she comes back here as president," he promises.