Faced with the slight victory of LFI deputy Louis Boyard in the first round of the anticipated municipal election of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau declared “that no commune in France deserves to have at its head a mayor of La France Insoumise”.
The rebellious deputy Louis Boyard came first in the first round of the early municipal election in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges in Val-de-Marne this Sunday, January 26. Enough to make the political class react. The Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, declared on X “that no commune in France deserves to have at its head a mayor from La France Insoumise”.
The member of the government, however, “warmly congratulated” the LR candidate Kristell Niasme “for her very good score”. The city's municipal councilor came in second place with 22.72% of the votes ahead of the various Left candidate Daniel Henry (20.6%).
“The union, behind it, must be as broad as possible to defeat the extreme left in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges,” wrote the former president of the Republicans in the Senate.
Louis Boyard, who canceled his speech, was content to congratulate himself on the result on largely the far-right list of the outgoing mayor!” he exclaimed. The candidate thus calls “for the opening of discussions to protect (the) city from the danger of the extreme right and the extreme right”.
According to Louis Boyard's entourage at BFMTV, the MP will have a discussion time with all the candidates this Monday at 6 p.m. Still according to the same source, Jean-Luc Mélenchon called him to congratulate him.
The rebellious MEP Manon Aubry also congratulated her “comrade Louis Boyard”. “Next week, maximum mobilization to win your list and turn the page on businessism!”, she said on X.
“I call on the supporters of a republican left not to lose their soul”
The call to “rally” behind Kristell Niasme was also launched by the president of the Île-de-France region Valérie Pécresse, also a member of the Republicans.
-“This evening in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, I call on the candidates of the right and the center to rally behind the candidate who came out on top, who defends our values and the Republic: Kristell Niasme,” she wrote on x.
Before adding: “Any division which would allow the victory of the LFI and disorder would be a political and moral fault vis-à-vis the Villeneuvois! I also call on the supporters of a republican left not to lose their soul and to block a victory for Louis Boyard”.
A second round will take place this Sunday, February 2, between the candidates having obtained more than 10% of the votes, namely Louis Boyard, Kristell Niasme, Daniel Henry, Philippe Gaudin and Eric Colson.
A test election for LFI
The town has been plunged into turmoil since April 2024, when DVD mayor Philippe Gaudin, who came in fourth position (15.54%), performed a Nazi salute in full municipal council. This episode led to the resignation of several municipal councilors and the holding of this early election.
The candidacy of Louis Boyard looks like a trial balloon for the Insoumis, who lack local elected officials and have deployed great means to try to win the election.
If Louis Boyard, 24, wins the second round, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, with its approximately 35,000 inhabitants, would become the largest municipality to hoist the LFI flag. On paper, this town in the south of Val-de-Marne is fertile ground for the municipal ambitions of a movement which focuses its electoral strategy on youth and working-class neighborhoods. It is the most disadvantaged municipality, with a poverty rate of 34%, and the youngest in this Parisian suburb department.
Louis Boyard was re-elected deputy in the second round of the legislative elections in July 2024 with a promising score of 61% in this city.
