Centrists and conservatives : power struggle don't get well with rapprochement

La dernière séance du conseil municipal avant les élections des 23 et 30 mars a été l'occasion d'hommages rendus aux plus anciens des conseillers municipaux, au premier rang desquels, le prédécesseur de Frédéric Béatse, Jean-Claude Antonini. Dans l'autre camp, il se dit que des amabilités d'un tout autre genre auraient été échangées. Cela augurerait de rapprochements difficiles entre les deux tours. 

Laurent Gérault

If the latest session of the city council was an opportunity for marks of courtesy to some of the elder town councillors, and among them Jean-Claude Antonini, former Angers mayor, according to some majority town councillors, other statements were not so kind, and especially those between members of the minority, on one side those who choose to support Christophe Béchu and one the other side, the centrist Laurent Gérault, Mr. Béchu's challenger.

Gaétan Dirand

In such a case, these tough talks would not predict friendly relationships between Christophe Béchu and Laurent Gérault's teams and supporters. If the conservative candidate is likely to be the winner of the first round, his score (36%) is nevertheless below the one he recorded in the previous elections (almost 46%) at a time when centrists and conservatives were allies. Mr. Gérault is neither in a favourable position.

Christophe Béchu

As an outsider on the right side, his score (5%) is much more lower than the score of Jean-Luc Rotureau (14%), the left outsider and, he comes even after Gaétan Dirand, the far right candidate (7%). Moreover, the surveys notice Laurent Gérault is rather unknown by inhabitants. The difficult relationship he has with Mr. Béchu will be difficult to overcome. The conservative leader gave a negative answer to Laurent Gérault when they were talking of strategy in front of the left side.

But, with his 36% and the 5% of the centrist, Christophe Béchu has no a large electoral reserves given he will not call far right voters and all centrists electors are not sure to join him. So the rapprochement Frédéric Béatse tried to launch with Jean-Luc Rotureau' supporters could be followed by a similar manoeuvre between Christophe Béchu and Laurent Gérault's followers.