The second place was a close call: 101 votes separated Fabrice Barusseau (15,637 votes, 28.07%) and Jean-Philippe Ardouin (15,536 votes, 27.88%). On the evening of the first round, the latter used this tiny gap of 0.19% as an excuse to make a bizarre proposal: that the second should withdraw in favor of the third. “In the second round, it is very complicated in my eyes to beat the RN candidate. It would be easier for social-democratic voters to identify with my candidacy, rather than Horizons or LR supporters voting for the NFP candidate,” he justified Sunday evening.
Laurent Jahier
Fabrice Barusseau, here in the center during the election evening in Saintes, will have waited this Monday morning to see the road to the second round become clearer.
Bussereau’s support
“It’s not a question I’m asking myself. I’m hopeful that reason will prevail,” Fabrice Barusseau responded early Monday morning. Shortly after, Jean-Philippe Ardouin announced his withdrawal. “Attached to republican values and progress, and in responsibility, I have decided not to file my candidacy for the second round by withdrawing in favor of Fabrice Barusseau, who is able to beat the National Rally,” he confirmed to “Sud Ouest” late in the morning.
Close to the PS, Fabrice Barusseau also received the support of Dominique Bussereau. “I call on all moderate, humanist and republican voters to vote for Fabrice Barusseau. For France, because we must block the far right. For Charente-Maritime because as president of the Department, I have always appreciated the seriousness and competence of Fabrice Barusseau,” the former minister and president of the Departmental Council wrote to him.
