Mélanie Faure 3:38 p.m., February 21, 2022
David Lisnard revealed to grant his sponsorship of elected to Jean-Luc Mélenchon for the presidential election.
The LR mayor of Cannes and president of the association of mayors of France detailed the reasons for his choice at the microphone of Europe 1 on Monday, citing a democratic threat and a risk of civic crisis, while recalling that he supports the Republican candidate, Valérie Pécresse.
David Lisnard is worried.
Less than two months before the presidential election, the LR mayor of Cannes fears that certain key candidates in the French political landscape will not meet the 500 required sponsorships.
In a democratic concern, David Lisnard has decided to grant his sponsorship to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, as he announced on Twitter this Sunday.
And this even if the president of La France insoumise is the candidate from whom he is "furthest removed" and from whom he "ardently fights the convictions, his ideas and his values".
David Lisnard called on all elected officials able to grant their sponsorships to support these candidates who see their candidacies threatened.
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“If one of the three candidates between 10% and 18% in the polls, namely Marine Le Pen, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Eric Zemmour, could not present themselves, we would amplify the civic crisis in which we are”, has pleaded David Lisnard at the microphone of Europe 1 this Monday.
"Jean-Luc Mélenchon must be able to compete."
The president of the association of mayors of France since 2021 recalls that "sponsorship is not worth support".
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
Renew the sponsorship system?
David Lisnard indicated that Jean-Luc Mélenchon has not (yet) called him following the signing of this unexpected sponsorship.
The Republican, however, recalled supporting Valérie Pécresse in the election, credited with 15% of voting intentions according to the latest Ifop poll published on Friday.
The face of the Republicans has garnered more than 2,000 sponsorships.
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In his video posted on Twitter on Sunday evening, David Lisnard said: "I think it is important to take this initiative and (...) to ensure democratic and republican free expression."
He called for changing the sponsorship scheme.