"Angers for you" Christophe Béchu

Le virage à droite de la ville d'Angers s'est matérialisé par la plutôt large victoire de Christophe Béchu contre Frédéric Béatse, maire sortant avec plus de 54% des voix. La division, le niveau de l'abstention mais surtout le mécontentement des Français vis-à-vis de leur gouvernement ont été les principaux facteurs de ce basculement de la ville, gérée par le gauche depuis 1977. Si la victoire n'est pas une surprise, l'écart entre les deux candidats est bien plus important que prévu.

Christophe Béchu is the new Angers mayor. His list Angers pour vous gathered 54,36% of the votes, a quite important margin face to his challenger Frédéric Béatse, the outgoing mayor. That municipal swing of Angers, from left to right, has also been characterized by an important proportion of abstainers, more than 42%, by a division of the left side and above all by an economic situation highly unfavourable to the left government which is also an explanation of the defeat of the left , in charge of Angers since 1977.


"The electors are clearly disappointed. But the explanations are not local", said the previous Angers mayor, Jean-Claude Antonini. But Mr Antonini also blamed Jean-Luc Rotureau for his critics of the letter Mr. Béatse sent to the abstainers in order to warn them about the dangers of a Christophe Béchu's election. But, according to many analysts, "the dissatisfaction of French people for the current government explains the important margin between the two candidates". That huge level of abstainers would have been serisouly hampered Mr. Béatse in popular districts generally favourable to the left.

"I am proud but also grave", said Christophe Béchu who assured economy and unemployment would be his top priority : "to implement our promises is our absolute duty". One of his running mates pointed out that the difference between the two candidates was "a happy surprise" but the candidate stressed that such a margin also expressed "important expectations" and "a personal responsability".The economical issues will be "the first on which we will work". Angers was particularly monitored by political headquarters as well as national medias. Several surrounding cities of Angers, members of the agglomeration, moved from left to right.

This election was surrounded by an increase of the proportion of Angers abstainers. That one was, at 6 pm, of 42,46 %, a little decrease compared to the first round (47.42)% *. Nevertheless, that level is soaring in comparison with the percentage of abstainers for  the second round of the 2008 elections : 34.04%.

* the definitive abstention rate is 38,65%