While the results put her in third position in her area at the end of this first round, the outgoing Anne-Laurence Petel, outgoing MP for the Aix region, refuses, against the instructions of her camp, to abandon the raceShe announced it bluntly to her supporters on Sunday evening: “I just sent a message to Paris, I will be a candidate in the second round!“
If the Macronist is indeed in the leading duo facing Jean-David Ciot (NFP) – who is just ahead of her – in the polling stations of Aix-En-Provence, she nevertheless finds herself, in her entire constituency, behind a conquering RN: its candidate, Gérault Verny, is in the lead with 31.65%, ahead of the NFP candidate Jean-David Ciot (29.48%). Both are ahead of the outgoing majority MP Anne-Laurence Petel (28.91%), who nevertheless wants to continue leading the battle.
Blocking “the extremes”
His arguments: small differences in voteswhich can augur a possible beneficial reserve for the candidate, and also a role to play in “the barrier against the extremes“. “We are not guaranteed that leaving the two RN and NFP blocks alone in the second round will not make the RN pass“, argues Anne-Laurence Petel. In her entourage, the activists and the campaign team hail an “exceptional” field campaign, but recognize: “It’s a risky bet. We will pay dearly if we screw up, but our candidate has thought carefully, it’s her choice and we will support her“.
“A totally irresponsible decision”
In the neighboring constituency, the 11th of Bouches-du-Rhône, Mohamed Laqhila, the outgoing candidate, also elected by the majority, finds himself in the same situation: the latter announced, once the first results were in, that he wanted to take the time of reflection. His opponent and candidate of the New Popular Front, Marc Pena, judges, “totally irresponsible“the decision of Anne-Laurence Petel, fueled, according to him, by his ambition displayed for the town hall of Aix-En-Provence : “I am quite dismayed. Surprised, not really. She is no longer at all in a legislative reflection“, supports the MP. The latter drives the point home: “It’s totally irresponsible to think about your personal equation at a time like this. I would never have thought of it for myself“.
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