The National Rally came out on top in the first round of early legislative elections in the four constituencies of Eure-et-Loir, this Sunday, June 30. The candidates are savoring their success without showing any triumphalism. Report from the heart of election night, from Châteaudun to Chartres.
In Châteaudun, it is 8:30 p.m., this Sunday, June 30, Roger Pécout, with a determined step, arrives alone at polling station no. 1, at the Saint-André hall, where the results of Châteaudun have been announced for a good half hour. There is no one left except a handful of elected officials from Dunois gathered around the mayor (SE), Fabien Verdier, and a few municipal agents.
Dark blue suit, yellow tie, the LR-RN candidate kisses, shakes hands and even accepts a selfie: “It’s for my wife,” we hear. Roger Pécout has just spent the first part of the evening at home in Châteaudun. And there he experienced his first thrills. “When I learned my scores in Tillay-le-Péneux or Villemaury, wow! Very encouraging.”
The local press wants to know his feelings about his victory in the first round. He gives it to them. His phone rings and then beeps in his pocket. Roger Pécout is “happy” and it shows. Memories come flooding back: “At the time of Sarkozy, you had headlined “Pécout kisses half the ministers”. I hope you will bring it out again (if the RN wins). I know a lot of them and I associate with them intelligently.”
“I’m very Chiracian, I eat well. Like Bardella…”
He remakes the world, evokes the difference between politics and friendship, and his appetite for “public relations. I am very Chiracian, I eat well. Like Bardella…”. Then sets the record straight regarding his domicile: “I live in Châteaudun. Philippe Vigier calls me the Parisian, but I remind him that we often see each other in Paris.”
Ten minutes later, last interview on the phone, outside, where the exhibitors of the Médiévales dunoises are packing up, far from this political agitation. For Roger Pécout, the time has come to go to the prefecture, in Chartres.
Meanwhile, in the departmental capital, Christophe Bay, RN candidate in the 3rd constituency, is the first to go to the prefecture, accompanied by his campaign director, and Séverin Sergent, an RN activist ultra-established in the department.
Looking very serious in his suit, the candidate, who came in first in the Nogent-le-Rotrou/Lucé constituency, assures that he will only officially speak after his boss, Marine Le Pen, whose campaign he led, in the presidential election two years ago. A few village results have come in. The man is, unsurprisingly, in the lead.
Mines remain serious and serious
Olivier Dubois, RN candidate in the Dreux constituency, arrives in turn at the prefecture. The results from his constituency are looking very good for him. On television, exceptional results are also announced for the National Rally. Not enough to make RN candidates want to pop the champagne. Just glasses of water. The faces remain serious and serious in front of the table of results which parade. The phones vibrate.
Candidates from other parties gradually arrive at the prefecture and greet the RN representatives. Many do not know each other.
Emma Minot, candidate in the Chartres constituency, is also arriving. She greets her colleagues while keeping an eye on her cell phone, exchanges a few words and takes the pulse of the department’s results. As she disappears into the garden, she comes face to face with the majority candidate, Guillaume Kasbarian.
” It is a kiss ? », she suggests. Hesitantly for a while, the Minister for Housing accepts. The discussion begins. We are talking about the navy blue wave, the territories where the National Rally achieved historic scores. She cites Finistère.
This is proof that local implementation is very important.
“There are places where the incumbents are holding up well,” she also says. “This is proof that local support is very important,” replies Guillaume Kasbarian, who had strongly criticized her parachuting into Eure-et-Loir during the campaign. They part with a smile.
The three RN candidates are leaving the prefecture and announce that they are preparing the second round this Sunday evening, before returning to the campaign trail this Monday.
Philippe Provôt, François Feuilleux
