It is 11:37 p.m. this Wednesday, March 4, and in the LCI studio, the first debate between the main candidates for the Paris City Hall is coming to an end. Before concluding, David Pujadas asks everyone about the coronavirus: is the City prepared for a major health crisis?
Agnès Buzyn, the candidate of La République en Marche (LRM), takes a serious tone: the Town Hall must “Anticipate a transition to phase 3” of the epidemic, currently in phase 2, so that everything can fall into place in one day. “Do you really think we didn’t?” the Anne Hidalgo Cup, the current mayor. Ms. Buzyn, why didn’t you stay at the health ministry? “ Respondent’s immediate response: “Because I really want to be mayor. “
A feat of arms symptomatic of this first public confrontation between the pretenders to the City Hall of Paris, eleven days before the first round of the municipal elections.
Privilege of the outgoing mayor, Anne Hidalgo found herself the preferred target of the six other candidates. She struck blow by blow, by taking herself first of all Agnès Buzyn, reduced to a status of representative of the government and sent back to the same right camp as Rachida Dati, the candidate of the party The Republicans (LR).
Anne Hidalgo, Rachida Dati and Agnès Buzyn. The debate confirmed it: the competition is now played mainly between these three women. In opinion polls, the gap between them is quite small. So much so that everyone was playing big this evening.
The left-right cleavage reappeared with force
With 25% of voting intentions in the first round, Rachida Dati comes slightly ahead in the latest Harris Interactive poll for LCI and RTL, published Tuesday, March 3. However, his vote reserves for the second round seem limited, which limits his chances of becoming mayor. During the debate, she did everything to consolidate her role as the first opponent of Anne Hidalgo. The most motivated: “I really wanted to be a candidate”, she said, an allusion to Agnès Buzyn’s hesitation. The most pugnacious too: “Anne Hidalgo’s record is anarchy everywhere, in all areas”, summed up the mayor of 7e borough.
Agnes Buzyn, credited with 17% of the voting intentions, can hope to disturb the game, especially if she finds allies in the second round. But it still has to convince of its will and its capacity to manage the capital.
–
