“Crisis” of the coronavirus obliges, Edouard Philippe kept Sunday evening his costume of prime minister. And he was careful not to put on his candidate’s cap. Speaking around 8 pm, shortly after the announcement of the results of the first round of the municipal elections, the head of government simply sent a message to his constituents. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of Le Havre and Le Havraises who put me in the lead with (over) 43%”, he simply slipped. The rest of his short speech was devoted to the coronavirus, which resulted in record abstention in the first round of municipal elections.
Admittedly, this Sunday evening, the Prime Minister arrived in first position (43.59%), before the Communist deputy, Jean-Paul Lecoq who collected 35.87% of the votes. The environmentalist Alexis Deck was relegated to third position, far behind, with 8.28%. Just like the candidate of the National Rally, Frédéric Groussard, who obtains 7.31%.
Engaged in the Le Havre campaign as head of the list, Édouard Philippe would have liked to be elected in the first round, as had been the case in 2014 (52%). Even if the local aspect often prevails over national considerations at the municipal level, his post as prime minister has undoubtedly contributed to the drop in his score, as the popularity of the executive couple is low since the crisis of “yellow vests” and pension reform. “This election will be politically difficult“Had admitted the head of government to his activists in late January, as Le Figaro reported at the time.
Lecoq wants to believe in his chances
If elected, Édouard Philippe warned his constituents that he would stay in Matignon until the end of his government mission, but he promised them that he would then find the mayor’s chair, which he occupied between 2010 and 2017. But if the left manages to unite for the second round, the Prime Minister could be worried in his own stronghold of Seine-Maritime. Jean-Paul Lecoq, also supported by La France Insoumise and “Génération.s”, also wants to believe it. “I’m confident. We will be mobilized. The people of Le Havre will perhaps measure that it is possible. This is the dynamic between a first and a second round. We hope that this dynamic will take place on Monday morning “, he wished to France 3 Sunday evening.
However, the second round must still be maintained. During his speech, Édouard Philippe did not close the door to a postponement. “Taking into account the advice of the health authorities, we will organize ourselves for the second round. I will meet the scientific council at the beginning of the week, then I will consult the representatives of the political forces ”, he simply said.
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