Aurélien Le Coq asked to change the campaign material and the words “in support of the New Popular Front” written on Amy Bah’s candidacy. The judge decided not to follow the candidate’s arguments.
“The summary judge (…) rejected Aurélien Le Coq’s request”. At the end of a hearing before the administrative court of Lille, this Thursday, June 20, Amy Bah won a first round in court 10 days before the first round of the early legislative elections.
The various left-wing candidate in the 1st North constituency had included on her ballot and on her profession of faith the words “in support of the New Popular Front” and used a graphic charter very close to that of the New Popular Front.
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However, after Adrien Quatennens’ decision to withdraw last Sunday, Aurélien Le Coq was named by France Insoumise as the one and only candidate of this electoral alliance.
The latter affirmed that the confusion fueled by these mentions of the existence of an investiture of Amy Bah under the New Popular Front could mislead voters and, as a result, distort the sincerity of the upcoming vote. The administrative court rejected his request.
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“The media, local and national, had informed the public […] that Mr. Le Coq had been designated as the new sole candidate of the New Popular Front by LFI in place of Mr. Quatennens and that the candidacy of Mrs. Bah had been prompted by the investiture of Mr. Quatennens”, specifies the communication referent of the administrative court of Lille. “If Ms. Bah declared that she supported the program of the New Popular Front, she did not publicly claim an investiture in this capacity and none of the parties making up this alliance gave her their support,” he adds.
The judge concluded that in this case, the existence of a serious and manifestly illegal attack on the sincerity of the vote had not been sufficiently established.
Blandine Cuvillier, Amy Bah’s campaign director, declared “very happy” of this decision “just” against a procedure “unique” in France. It indicates that there is “acts of dissidence on the left in France” and regrets that this is a legal procedure “gag” car Amy Bah “never declared herself invested in the NFP but said she supported the program and values of the NFP. Somewhere, “this is an admission of weakness from the LFI candidate”concludes Blandine Cuvillier.
Nicolas Heyn, head of press relations for France Insoumise in the North, took note of this decision and the fact that there was, according to the judge, enough difference between the ballot papers. Candidate Aurélien Le Coq has 48 hours to appeal from notification of the order.
