The Ensemble group led by Olivier Bordon succeeded in its challenge. It puts an end to the absolute majority of the Socialists of Jean-Charles Luperto, who also becomes the second party (36.58%). The PS held an absolute majority in Sambreville since the merger of the municipalities in 1977. The PTB, logically, as kingmaker (but it’s not that simple, you will discover). It is therefore an earthquake which affects Sambreville.
The Ensemble group (43.08%) had announced it from the start. Its goal was to shake the socialist absolute majority. They did better than make it falter, they obtained a much better score than the historically dominant party of Sambreville.
Olivier Bordon is euphoric. “I am often happy but I have good reasons to be this evening, he reacted when the results were not yet complete. I think the project was really citizen-oriented. The goal was to ensure that change in Sambreville was possible.” With 4,350 votes, Olivier Bordon obtained a better personal score than Jean-Charles Luperto (3,776 votes). “No one has an absolute majority, adds Olivier Bordon. A coalition with the PTB is not possible, the only possible coalition is with the PS. A coalition in which Olivier Bordon would be mayor, since he has more preferred votes.
The PTB announced a few months ago that it wanted to be a stone in the shoe of the PS, so it was successful. The PTB obtained 11% of the votes. A performance beyond their expectations since the three candidates they presented were elected. “It is a historic victory for the PTB, which presented itself for the first time, reacts Giuseppe Genco, head of the Sambreville PTB list. We sought out from citizens what they want to do with their city and this brought us to points that we will defend at the municipal council, this spoke to people. The political vision of the PS was not that expected by the Sambrevillois. And I think that the Sambrevillois have sent a clear signal. They want it to change.” Would they be ready to enter into a majority with the PS despite everything? Ideologically, they are in fact closer to the socialists than to the center party, center right of Ensemble. “In the immediate future, no, I will not answer this question. I will not say anything on this subject. We will hold internal discussions within the party tomorrow to assess where we are going to head.”
Because today there are mathematically three possible majorities in Sambreville and two of them include an alliance with the PTB (3 seats). Ensemble has in fact 14 seats and the PS obtains twelve. An alliance between Ensemble and the PS seemed improbable, but given the exclusive issued by Olivier Bordon nothing is impossible.
The two remaining opposition lists, Ecolo and UDLI, both under 5% and losing all their seats. “We are obviously disappointed. We would go from four seats to no seats. It’s a huge loss. Right away, I can’t explain it. We knew it was a risky bet to leave the Ensemble group in June because that our ideological differences were too great. We had a very good campaign and so the disappointment is really there. It’s the tidal wave of Ensemble that almost surprises her the most. Philippe Kerbush, from the UDLI list, is more acerbic. “What is happening today is dramatic. The people of Sambrevillois did not understand what they did. They gave their votes to an influencer, a good communicator rather than to people who know how to manage a municipality, even if I did not approve of everything that was being done.”
On the PS side, it’s a massive blow. Some socialists told us during the campaign that given their record, they could not imagine no longer leading the municipality. This election is therefore de facto a disillusionment. “We are in any case the second political party. In fact we have a step back, it is the union of the opposition forces in part in any case mainly MR and Engagés who we know have the wind in their sails for at the moment. recognize him as a certain success.”
Jean-Charles Luperto does not want to talk about exclusives this evening. This will be discussed internally. Especially since custom dictates that the first party has the hand in the negotiations, the PS believes it has a little time to position itself.
