Jean Rottner is on track to remain at the head of the Grand-Est. – SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP
Outgoing bonus. The national trend was confirmed in the Grand-Est on Sunday. President of the greater region since October 2017 after the resignation of Philippe Richert, Jean Rottner achieved the best score in the first round. But with less than a third of the votes cast and perhaps three opponents next Sunday, nothing is over yet.
Rottner well gone to stay
The polls have verified. Announced at the head of this first ballot for a few weeks, the representative Les Républicains confirmed his lead at the polls. Jean Rottner finished well ahead of this first round (around 31%), with nearly ten points ahead of his first pursuer, the head of the National Rally, Laurent Jacobelli (21.5%). “I am ready to fight tonight to beat the RN in the second round. As I have undertaken to do, I will submit a list identical to that of the first round and I invite all the Democrats and Republicans in our region to give me their support next Sunday, ”reacted the outgoing president, who is off to a good start. to keep his seat.
The National Rally in decline
With his list and his new party Les Patriotes, has Florian Philippot (7.5%) hurt his old camp? The question deserves to be asked given the score of the candidate of the National Rally. Laurent Jacobelli did indeed seduce “only” 21.5% of voters on Sunday, where the same Philippot, then under the colors of the FN, had won 36.06% of the votes in 2015. “I solemnly call all the sincere right-wing voters, who refuse any compromise with Macronie, all Gaullists, all patriots, in every sense of the word, to choose the list that I lead to the second round, ”launched the head of the RN list on Sunday, in a desire to unite. Laurent Jacobelli should logically benefit from the postponement of the votes of his opponent and predecessor, next Sunday. Even if Florian Philippot did not give instructions to vote. “Nothing satisfies me in the offer of the second round. We will not merge, ”said the former close to Marine Le Pen.
What balances for the second round?
The ecologist of Eliane Romani (14%) and the representative of the presidential party Brigitte Klinkert (11%) also officially qualified for the second round. The second appointed, Minister Delegate for Integration, could retire by then. “I am awaiting the final results and I will meet with my heads of list”, she evaded last night. As for the first, it has already received the support of its now ex-opponent, Aurélie Filippetti. The head of the list of the Unpublished Appeal (8%). “I’m happy with our very good score. We will put this dynamic at the service of the left forces, ”she said, explaining that the discussions between the two camps had started and were going to“ last part of the night ”. As elsewhere. Candidates have until Tuesday to submit their lists to the prefecture.
The Grand-Est bad pupil of participation
Donkey caps for voters in the Grand-Est region. Of all the regions of France, they were the ones who went to the polls the least on Sunday. The abstention rate could reach 70% according to the latest estimates, against around 66 to 68% nationally. In 2015, a little more than one in two voters (52.1%) had shunned the same ballot. Throughout the evening, the various regional heads of the list deplored this low participation.