Will the territories of the Antilles-Guyana and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon be outlawed if the votes for the legislative elections of June 29? This is what an association and a future candidate say who have filed appeals with the Constitutional Council.
The announcement of the dissolution of the National Assembly caused a real upheaval within the political apparatuses and the institutions responsible for organizing the elections.
The Antilles-Guyana and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon will vote on June 29, one day before the other French territories.
This decision gives rise to debates and disputes, in particular concerning the deadlines set for summoning voters.
The Constitutional Council was contacted by the Adelico association (Association for the Defense of Constitutional Liberties) and by Maître Olivier Taoumi, a lawyer and future candidate in Guyana. These appeals highlight the problems linked to delays in calling elections, citing that the decree of June 9, 2024 relating to the dissolution of the National Assembly does not take into account the specificities of voters located in the Atlantic basin.
The deadline imposed by the constitution is between 20 and 40 days to separate the dissolution from the vote. In this decree we chose 20 days, except that for the territories which vote on June 29 we are at 19 days…
Jean-Baptiste SoufronLawyer and member of the Adelico association
Maître Olivier Taoumi, lawyer registered with the Marseille bar and residing in Guyana, also filed an appeal, according to information from Radio France. He also contests compliance with the 20-day deadline after the announcement of the dissolution of the National Assembly by the President of the Republic for the Overseas Regions and Territories. He hopes for a cancellation of the vote to have “more time to campaign”.
I will be a candidate in Guyana in the legislative elections, depending on the decision of the Constitutional Council.
Olivier Taoumi, potential candidateInterviewed by Radio France
This is not the first time that the Sages have been contacted to denounce very restricted deadlines after a dissolution. Precedents took place in 1981 and 1988 under François Mitterrand.
Each time, the appeals were not accepted by the members of the council who considered that the Constitution was well respected. On the other hand, if the appeals are not rejected, another decree will have to be signed and the dates of the elections will be automatically postponed… a new twist for an already agitated campaign.
This would lead to a complete reorganization of the electoral calendar. Political systems should prepare for a new campaign, and institutions in charge of elections should ensure that all voters are properly informed and mobilized. Such a decision could also strengthen the debate on taking into account the specificities of overseas territories in the context of national elections.
