Gilles Bourdouleix (LR-RN) made people believe that he was withdrawing to force a rival to stay in office

POLITICS – Pernicious political maneuver. The LR-RN candidate for the legislative elections in the fifth constituency of Maine-et-Loire, Gilles Bourdouleix, announced that he was staying for the second round of July 7 this Tuesday, July 2. However, he had said the day before that he was withdrawing… but it was in fact a lie.

It is West France who tells this incredible story. On Monday, a journalist from the daily newspaper received a text message from the candidate. “Disgusted by a nauseating election campaign that insults democracy and our fellow citizens, I have decided to return home. I will make no further comment.”wrote the man who is also mayor of Cholet.

Gilles Bourdouleix, whose candidacy was supported by the National Rally under the alliance concluded by the president of the Republicans Eric Ciotti and the far-right party, came second in the first round with 30.54% of the vote. The candidate Ensemble (presidential majority) Denis Masseglia came first with 33.7% of the vote, and the candidate New Popular Front France Moreau third with 21.33% of the vote.

A big lie to hope for a small victory

A dramatic turn of events this Tuesday. Gilles Bourdouleix’s substitute submitted their duo’s candidacy to the prefecture, shortly before the deadline set at 6 p.m. At 6:09 p.m., the mayor of Cholet explained on X: “Responding to the call of many supporters after the announcement of my withdrawal and in the face of the unnatural alliances that are being formed, I am maintaining my candidacy! France is on the brink of the abyss! Our fellow citizens must be able to express themselves democratically!”

Except that this maneuver looks more like a real bluff to maintain the Ensemble/LR-RN/NFP triangular, and to have a small chance of winning when only 1,700 votes separated him from Denis Masseglia.

Explanations. On Sunday, just after the results of the legislative elections, France Moreau announced the withdrawal of her candidacy to block the far right. From then on, Gilles Bourdouleix had almost no chance of winning since a large part of the NFP voters were going to switch to the Ensemble candidate in his constituency.

Her only option to hope to win was to convince her rival who came in third place to stay, hoping that the voters of the candidates eliminated in the first round would choose her in the second. The announcement of Gilles Bourdouleix’s (false) withdrawal had the desired effect: France Moreau filed her candidacy at the prefecture on Tuesday morning.

Learning of the manipulation of the LR-RN candidate, France Moreau tried to withdraw her candidacy, reports the report. West France. Without success. There will therefore be a three-way race in the fifth constituency of Maine-et-Loire.

Also see on Le HuffPost :