The former Minister of the Budget, convicted of tax fraud, launched his campaign in Lot-et-Garonne. He is running under the center-left label against outgoing RN MP Annick Cousin. In Villeneuve-sur-lot, his candidacy divided voters.
Former socialist minister Jérôme Cahuzac, convicted of tax fraud, announced Sunday evening that he will be a candidate in Lot-et-Garonne in the next legislative elections, following the dissolution of the National Assembly by President Emmanuel Macron.
The former deputy mayor of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget under the presidency of François Hollande, will be a “candidate under the center left label”, facing outgoing MP RN Annick Cousin, in the 3rd constituency of the department . Six years after his conviction for tax fraud, are voters ready to give Jérôme Cahuzac a second chance? On site, the subject divides.
“We’re happy he’s coming back.”
In this department, Jérôme Cahuzac was elected mayor twice and deputy three times. Except that it was before his conviction and especially his lie before the National Assembly. Nadine, a voter in Villeneuve-sur-lot, replays the video of this lie over and over again: “I have never had accounts abroad,” Jérôme Cahuzac declared at the time.
She votes for him despite everything: “There are others who have done worse. He paid his debt to me, he didn’t steal my money. And for the city of Villeneuve, he did a lot of things and we are happy that he is coming back.”
“Get out!”
This opinion is not shared by everyone: “Let him smell! It’s the plague or cholera, I don’t want to see him anymore!”, declares Jean-Claude. He is nevertheless a socialist but this candidacy revolts him. “He doesn’t have the right. When we have behavior such as his where there is no ethics, nothing at all. So I’m left with LFI? I won’t vote!”
Two choices open up for these residents: abstention as a protest against the candidacy of Jérôme Cahuzac or the RN which already in 2022 had won 56% of the votes in this constituency.
