The closely watched first round of the legislative elections on Sunday 30 June in Creuse resulted in a three-way race. In the lead was the candidate of the Union of the Far Right, who was well ahead of the outgoing deputy of the Union of the Left, Catherine Couturier. She herself was neck and neck with Valérie Simonet, the President of the Department, a candidate for the Miscellaneous Right.
Did Bartolomé Lenoir, the candidate of the Union of the Far Right in Creuse, create a surprise by coming out on top in the votes yesterday in Creuse? One might be tempted to say so, the thirty-year-old not being the best-known candidate in a department historically anchored on the left. But no. It is anything but a surprise.Infographic Center France
A surprise, Lenoir’s score? No, not really.
Because first there was the RN wave that swept over the country, including Creuse, during the European elections three weeks ago. And in the end he just had to ride it.
Photo B.Barlier
And then, above all, its almost 34% of the votes collected yesterday, were already there in the 2017 legislative elections. Scattered between the score of the then Lepéniste candidate – Sylvie Bilde, who had collected 17.1% of the votes – and that of the Former MP Jean Auclair, 17.6%. Who, without presenting himself this time, managed once again to disperse the votes of the Republican right, by supporting the Creuse candidate of the controversial LR-RN alliance, to counter the candidacy of Valérie Simonet.Photo F.Delotte
No surprise either, the second place taken by the candidate of the New Popular Front, Catherine Couturier with 23.47% of the votes. The outgoing MP clearly benefits from the union of the left, even strengthening her score by 2,000 votes compared to the first round of 2022. Notable for an outgoing candidate even if she leaves mid-term.
A winning bet
But she is closely followed by Valérie Simonet who may have created the real surprise of this election: the president of the Department has succeeded in her bet to weigh in the race for the Assembly by taking with her 22.12% of Creuse voters. When LR at the national level only achieved 10.2% and the candidate of the Republican right in 2022, also elected from the Department – Catherine Defemme – barely crossed the 5% mark. Without doubt the rapid and straightforward commitment of the president and her substitute has paid off.Photo F.Bressy
Less profitable, the attempt to return to business by Jean-Baptiste Moreau, the big loser of the evening. With 17.44%, he lost almost ten points compared to the first round of 2022 – not to mention his 33% in 2017. Macronie has lived. But it still has a role to play. A key role. Its 10,670 voters from yesterday have the cards in hand to decide next Sunday who will be the future deputy for Creuse.
What participation next Sunday?
Because it is not on the side of the abstainers that we will have to go and find votes for the candidates who seem to have already won their camp. The participation in Creuse exceeded 70% yesterday. A record never seen for more than forty years. At least one reason to be happy with yesterday’s figures. Not a surprise either: the people of Creuse, like all the French, have understood the importance of this election. Will there be as many of them next Sunday to be interested in a three-way race that has not happened in Creuse for a very long time?
All the results of the first round of the 2024 Legislative elections
Séverine Perrier & Floris Bressy
