They were scrutinized. The results of the European elections were to be a first indicator of the state of political forces in view of the municipal elections of 2026. But the dissolution of the national assembly on the evening of June 9, 2024 accelerated the political calendar. The early legislative elections of June 30 and July 7, 2024 offer a new opportunity for the parties and the different candidates to assess the balance of power before the municipal election.
An opportunity seized by Benoist Pierre, Renaissance candidate (presidential majority), in the first constituency of Indre-et-Loire. Although he refuses to say that he is a candidate in the municipal elections, the opposition representative has nevertheless remained in the campaign for a year. These legislative elections will serve as a life-size test for his campaign team set up several months ago.
Find the space
It’s no secret that Benoist Pierre plays the role of the outsider against Charles Fournier (New Popular Front), the outgoing deputy for the first constituency. The candidate of the united left clearly won in 2022 with 53.51% of the votes in the second round against Philippe Chalumeau (Renaissance).
The Renaissance candidate will have a lot to do. In the European elections, the list of the presidential majority only received 15.59% of the votes. A score down compared to the previous European elections (25.42%) in 2019. Faced with this observation, the objective for Benoist Pierre is first of all to reach the second round of these legislative elections. A way of clearing your political space for 2026 and trying to position yourself as the candidate from the center and the right best placed to lead the municipal battle.
Create momentum
A risky bet for Benoist Pierre. The candidate for the legislative elections can give the impression of chasing several hares at once. In the event of defeat, he will emerge weakened from this election. A bet that Olivier Lebreton, candidate in 2022 for Les Républicains in the legislative elections, refused to make (although he would have had the legitimacy to be invested). Officially to prefer a commitment dedicated to the 2026 municipal elections: “My energy and determination must be entirely devoted to thinking with you about a better future for our city. »
Unlike the right and the center, a victory for Charles Fournier should reassure Emmanuel Denis, environmentalist mayor of Tours, at the head of a union list of the left since 2020. The result of the European elections, where each party had played its part, was enough to give a cold sweat to the ecologists. The latter had only collected 8.89% of the votes, far behind France Insoumise (14.68%) and the PS (19.29%). If the outgoing deputy succeeds in being re-elected, he can initiate a positive dynamic for the left in Tours.
A dynamic that Alain Dayan, former elected official from Germany, also hopes to create by riding on Glucksman’s vote. Even though the PS candidate for the European elections has lined up behind the popular front, the former deputy of Jean Germain wants to capitalize on these center-left voters refusing the alliance with rebellious France and by hitting the mayor’s team in place. Enough to exist politically? Response June 30, 2024.
