Counting during elections. – M.LIBERT / 20 MINUTES
- Several ministers are running for the next local elections in Hauts-de-France.
- Gérald Darmanin in the departmental and perhaps Dupond-Moretti in the regional.
- Legally, nothing prevents a minister from exercising a local mandate. In fact, it is more complicated.
Ministers on the campaign trail. Several members of the government are running for the next regional and departmental elections in the North and Hauts-de-France, on June 20 and 27. He will have those who will take offense and those who will find it normal. But in fact, can they really?
The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, announced in the columns of our colleagues from The voice of the North his intention to stand in tandem with the mayor of Tourcoing for the departmental elections. It has also been rumored, since Wednesday, that Eric Dupond-Moretti, Keeper of the Seals, would take the head of the LREM list for regional in Hauts-de-France. A minister who would replace another since it is Laurent Pietraszewski, current Secretary of State for Pensions, who has been leading the way from the start.
Candidate ministers, yes. Elected ministers, no
So we often talk about non-accumulation of mandates, but in these three specific cases, that does not apply, at least legally. In fact, the law promulgated in 2014 prohibits a deputy or a senator from exercising a local executive mandate, such as mayor for example. Admittedly, Gérald Darmanin and Laurent Pietraszewski have both been deputies but their mandates are closed. Their functions in government are not, in terms of law, incompatible with the exercise of a local mandate. However, a minister cannot run in a local election as he sees fit.
For twenty years, successive Prime Ministers, starting with Lionel Jospin, have prohibited members of the government from holding office. There is no law, but a ” Code of ethics for members of the Government »Established under the presidency of François Hollande who inscribed this ban in stone. “The members of the government devote all their time to the exercise of their ministerial functions. They must, therefore, renounce the local executive mandates that they may hold, ”it is written.
However, subject to obtaining the agreement of the Head of State, ministers can stand in local elections and campaign. This is how Gérald Darmanin was able to be elected mayor of Tourcoing in 2020. And this is also why he had to make a choice and finally give up his seat as mayor.