The first secretary is credited with 50 % of the votes in the first round, according to the Socialist Party, but of 47.88 % of the votes, according to the rival he will face in the second round on January 19, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, which would have gathered him between 30.5 and 31.5 % of the votes.
by Sandrine Cassini
For Olivier Faure, it is a relief. The first secretary came widely at the top of the first round of the Congress of the Socialist Party, where he plays his re -election for the next three years. The deputy of Seine-et-Marne, holder of the position since 2018, obtained around 50 % of the votes after the ballot, according to results communicated by the Socialist Party at 11:30 p.m.
Behind him, Nicolas Mayer Rossignol is credited with 30.5 % of the votes, and Hélène Geoffroy by 19 %. These figures come from the counting of 14,000 bulletins. Supposed to be representative of the final trend, they are however disputed by the teams of Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, who grants at the first secretary of 47.88 % of the votes, 31.5 % to the mayor of Rouen and 21 % in Hélène Geoffroy. Final results, communicated on Friday, should say whether Olivier Faure is the majority or not.
On January 19, he will face Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol for a new vote, the militants being called to decide between the two candidates who arrived at the head. “Thank you to the thousands of socialist activists who made the choice to place me very largely in mind, tweeted Olivier Faure. The strategic debate was decided,” he continued, in reference to the agreement of the agreement New Ecological and Social People’s Popular Union (Nuts), which has allowed the party to survive Anne Hidalgo’s bitter defeat in the presidential election but which was also a source of great frustrations in certain federations.
This confusion around the figures allowed the mayor of Rouen, who went to campaign last September, to congratulate himself on a “beautiful dynamic”. “Tonight is surprise and hope,” he wants to believe. While being “prudent”, he says that his “important” score is likely to allow him to “win next Thursday”. How ? By attracting part of the 50 % of abstentionists, who did not move in the first round, according to Lamia El Aaraje, assistant of Anne Hidalgo who campaigned with him. And the latter to ensure that it is a “new election”.
Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol keeps the blur on the NUPS
However, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol did not decided to ask Hélène Geoffroy to support. He prefers to “bring together” all socialists, pro and anti-naked. It must be said that the mayor of Rouen maintains the vagueness on the attitude to have the alliance on the left, while Hélène Geoffroy had promised to leave it if she was elected. The latter could on the other hand call to vote for him, his supporters dreaming of changing the first secretary whatever happens.
For the relatives of Olivier Faure, a victory by Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol seems highly improbable. Some point out that a bonus always benefits the outgoing candidate. Others insist that “all the big local barons”, who supported Nicolas Mayer Rossignol were put in the minority in their federation. At the forefront of which Anne Hidalgo (in Paris, the motion carried by Nicolas Mayer Rossignol only obtained 48 %), the deputy of Occitanie, Carole Delga, and the deputy of Tarn-et-Garonne, Valérie Rabault.