Right-wing mayor endorses left-wing candidate 'out of civic concern'

David Lisnard, Les Républicains (LR) mayor of Cannes, announced on the evening of Sunday February 20 that he was going to sponsor the candidate for the presidential election of La France insoumise (LFI) "so that the demagogues do not play the victims". 

"I have decided to sponsor the candidate from whom I am furthest removed, since I am ranked on the right, which is Jean-Luc Mélenchon. I ardently fight his convictions, his ideas and his values, but he must be able to compete", indicates elected official in a video filmed in his office at City Hall.

The leader of LFI has for the moment only 370 signatures out of 500 despite his 10% voting intentions.

President of the Association of Mayors of France (AMF), David Lisnard, who supports Valérie Pécresse, takes this initiative "in a personal capacity", "to show that sponsorships are not worth support". 

"If Jean-Luc Mélenchon or Marine Le Pen, who has a long-standing presence with a major political party and who is second in the polls, or Éric Zemmour, who has a dynamic, could not present themselves, that would be a serious attack on democracy", he also justified, recalling that mayors, but also parliamentarians, regional or departmental councilors can give sponsorships.

Because the candidate I support is well off, out of republican spirit, civic concern, democratic demands, also so that demagogues do not play the victim, finally to remove (unfair) pressure on mayors and demonstrate that "sponsorship is not worth no support”: pic.twitter.com/5bGnNsrMbd

— David Lisnard (@davidlisnard) February 20, 2022

If Valérie Pécresse, Emmanuel Macron or Anne Hidalgo already have their 500 sponsorships, others – like Éric Zemmour, Marine Le Pen or Christiane Taubira (only 86 signatures) – do not hide their difficulties as the March 4 deadline approaches.

With AFP

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