The MR list, led by Marie-Christine Marghem, then federal minister, came in second position, but far behind the PS. Both parties had lost ground and the Greens achieved a good score which allowed them to force their way into the majority alongside the Socialists. The PTB won an elected official and Ensemble (CDH) gained an advisor.
At the PS, the use of WhatsApp for electoral campaigns is industrial
Will the October 13 vote be different? There is a high probability. Certainly, the outgoing mayor remains a popular man and his list is strong. But the election of June 9 saw the socialists lose ground in the canton of Tournai while the MR, on the contrary, found color there. If the trend continues, the two parties could be neck and neck on election night. And if Les Engagés, who are running under the party banner this time, continue to ride the wave that still carries them today, they could supplement the MR and make it possible to reproduce the Azur majority at the municipal level in Tournai. in place in the Walloon region. This is a clearly stated desire.
Marghem-Lucas, an internal duel au MR
The mayoral duel is therefore played out between Paul-Olivier Delannois and Marie-Christine Marghem. Even though the latter only occupies second place on the MR list, she is in theory much more popular than Vincent Lucas, an entrepreneur from the region who is in front of her. According to the local press, the understanding between the first two of the liberal list is not necessarily cordial. So here is a second duel that will be interesting to follow. Let us nevertheless point out that if Marie-Christine Marghem were to be in a position to claim the mayor’s office – the Walloon code of local democracy indicates that the one who has cast the most votes on the majority’s most important list becomes mayor -, she will have to choose between the mandate of mayor and her position as Walloon deputy.
What are the stakes in the next elections for the PS? The party faces great danger and choices that will be crucial
However, it would be imprudent to bury the outgoing mayor too quickly. Certainly, the PS had already lost votes in 2018. But the presence on the socialist list of Pierre-Olivier Delannois’ partner, Ludivine Dedonder, who is still Minister of Defense in the federal government in current affairs, is an undeniable asset . The one who already occupied second place six years ago (and achieved the third score) has since grown in popularity. She leaves a good image of her passage to a ministerial position which until then had always been occupied by a man.
No Delannois-Dedonder duel within the PS list
Ludivine Dedonder could therefore overtake her companion and preferably do more voices than him. But it would be a false duel and there should be no conflict between the couple, since if the scenario were to arise and the PS is able to claim the mayoralty, the minister would leave room for his companion. This would have been decided a long time ago. In addition, the PS prohibits its members from combining a deputy mandate with an executive function (mayor, alderman or president of CPAS) in the municipal college of a town of more than 50,000 inhabitants. In any case, Ludivine Dedonder would prefer to lead the fight against the future federal government within the PS group, in opposition to the House. She should therefore sit as a municipal councilor. Remember that two spouses or two people from the same family cannot sit together on a municipal council. This is good since the Delannois-Dedonder couple is not married.
