Municipal in France: Aubry wins on the wire in Lille, Philippe re-elected in Le Havre, Hidalgo renewed in Paris (videos)

Lhe municipal elections in France were marked on Sunday by a vague environmentalist in several big cities, where the presidential party recorded many defeats despite the success of Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

Abstention record

Abstention has reached a historic level: nearly 60% of voters have shunned this second round organized more than three and a half months after the first, coronavirus forces.

This second round was organized with exceptional health precautions due to the Covid-19 epidemic: wearing of a mandatory mask at polling stations, hydroalcoholic gel and priority for vulnerable people to vote.

227 voices of difference in Lille

Martine Aubry and the environmental candidate Stéphane Baly (EELV) are neck and neck in Lille. The outgoing socialist candidate claims victory.

The 69-year-old councilor, who is running for a 4th term, announced in late May that there would be no agreement with environmentalists, his allies in the current term.

It goes for Edouad Philippe in Le Havre

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe won the municipal elections in Le Havre on Sunday with 58.83% of the vote against PCF deputy Jean-Paul Lecoq.

The abstention rate was 58% in this port city which had swung to the right in 1995 after three decades of PCF mayor.

The municipal councilors, elected for six years, will then meet from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 July to elect the mayors and their assistants.

Paris to Hidalgo

PS mayor Anne Hidalgo won the municipal elections in Paris on Sunday, obtaining between 49.3 and 50.2% of the votes in the second round, according to two polling institutes.

Ms. Hidalgo was ahead of candidate LR Rachida Dati (between 32 and 32.7%) and that of LREM Agnès Buzyn (between 13.7 and 16% of the vote), according to Harris Interactive and Ipsos-Sopra Steria.

Surprise in Bordeaux

The ecologist Pierre Hurmic is a short head ahead of the outgoing mayor LR Nicolas Florian, supported by LREM, during the municipal elections Sunday in Bordeaux, according to two estimates.

After 73 years of right-wing mayor elections in the first round, the ecologist, supported in particular by the PS and the PCF, won with between 45.6 and 46.8% ahead of Florian (43.2-44, 6%), considered Macron-compatible, according to Harris Interactive and Ipsos-Sopra Steria. In third position, Philippe Poutou (NPA) received just under 10% of the vote.

Left victory in Marseille

Michèle Rubirola, head of a left-wing coalition, came out on top in Marseille in the second round of the municipal elections, ahead of candidate LR Martine Vassal, according to two estimates from pollsters.

The poll was marked despite the stake by a record abstention around 65%, according to the two institutes, less than one in three voters who came to vote.

François Bayrou returned to Pau

The president of MoDem François Bayrou was re-elected mayor of Pau by winning Sunday in the second round of municipal elections, according to an estimate.

According to Ifop Fiducial for M6 and Sud Radio, Mr. Bayrou was re-elected with 55.5% of the vote against Jérôme Marbot (PS, 44.5%).

Aliot elected in Perpignan

The candidate of the Louis Aliot National Gathering wins in Perpignan with 53.1 to 54% of the vote, against the outgoing mayor Jean-Marc Pujol (LR), according to estimates by three polling institutes.

Louis Aliot collects 54% of the votes according to Ifop Fiducial for M6 and Sud Radio, 53.3% of the votes according to Elabe Berger-Levrault for BFMTV and Le Parisien, and 53.1% of the votes according to Harris Interactive Epoka for TFI-LCI and RTL .

Macron without mask

President Emmanuel Macron voted around noon in Le Touquet before going for a walkabout, without a mask.

Emmanuel Macron “expressed his concern for the low turnout in municipal elections”, which is “not very good news,” the Elysée told AFP, while abstention rose to around 60% in the second round on Sunday.

The Head of State also called his Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to congratulate him on his “great victory” in Le Havre and plans to see him “a little time alone” on Monday morning, before their meeting with the members of the Citizen’s Climate Convention, said the Elysée. The organization of this convention will be the “response to the green wave” recorded on Sunday, according to the presidency.