“Biarritz is won in the center” was for a long time the adage of the candidates in the municipal elections. And even in the wave-submersion of the National Rally in the Basque Country, the seaside town resisted. First in the European elections, with the arrival in the lead of Valérie Hayer, the Macronist candidate who was one point ahead of the National Rally candidate (20.53 and 19.27 …
“Biarritz is won in the center” was for a long time the adage of the candidates in the municipal elections. And even in the wave-submersion of the National Rally in the Basque Country, the seaside town resisted. First in the European elections, with the arrival in the lead of Valérie Hayer, the Macronist candidate who was one point ahead of the National Rally candidate (20.53 and 19.27%). Then for these early legislative elections with the arrival, in first position of Christian Devèze, on the evening of the first round with 31.74% of the votes. The mayor of Cambo takes up the torch left by the outgoing Vincent Bru, also from the center right and a member of what was, until the dissolution, the presidential majority.
The National Rally even came in third place with 24% of the votes. With 14%, LR candidate Emmanuelle Brisson undoubtedly gained a few votes from the far right. And even if she indicates that she will vote for “the Republican candidate”, sending back to back “a Basque autonomist supported by France Insoumise” and “an RN, usurper without roots or knowledge of the constituency”, loss of votes is to be expected for the Republican arc, boosted by the anti-Macron discourse held for months and weeks within LR in general and the Biarritz Republicans in particular.
“Losses of votes are to be expected for the Republican arc, boosted by the anti-Macron speech”
Max Brisson from Biarritz, senator and strongman of LR in the Department, condemns Macronism as evidenced by his latest press release: “We fought Macronism, because by wanting to eliminate the left-right divide, it led to an opposition between the center and the extremes, which is proving deadly today,” he writes. Nevertheless: political pragmatism refocuses him and he “invites the voters who trusted us to give their votes to Christian Devèze.”
No instructions
Like Emmanuelle Brisson, the LR mayor of Biarritz refuses to give instructions. “They are horrifying for voters. They know where they want to go. I am not calling to vote for him but I am clearly saying that I will vote for Christian Devèze. because he is a candidate who is not part of the extremes. He is a business leader that I know and respect: he was the accountant for the Hôtel du Palais, he is a colleague in the Region.”
The other lesson from this election at the city level is the proportion of voters anchored to the left: Peio Dufau, the Abertzale activist and New Popular Front candidate, managed to climb into 2nd position and beat the RN with 25.34% of the votes, or 10 points more than Raphaël Gluksman three weeks ago and five points compared to Tom Dubois’ score in 2022. His pool of votes, possibly coming from the PNB, seems smaller than that of Christian Devèze, in Biarritz as in the rest of the constituency.
