Duel on the left to represent Ariège in the National Assembly. The rebellious deputy Bénédicte Taurine, invested by the New People’s Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), and the dissident socialist Martine Forger will be opposed to the second round of a partial legislative in Ariège, according to the results of the 1st round Sunday, marked by a collapse of Renaissance.
Bénédicte Taurine, candidate officially supported by the Left Union comes in first position (31.18% of the vote), ahead of her left opponent, Martine Froger (26.42%), supported by local executives of the Socialist Party (PS ) and the president of Occitania Carole Delga.
National Rally (RN) candidate Jean-Marc Garnier comes third (24.78%), far ahead of Macronist candidate Anne-Sophie Tribout (10.69%), who was in the second round in May 2022. The candidate follows. Reconquest! François-Xavier (2.77%), the unlabeled Robert Claraco (2.2%), and Gisèle Lapeyre of Lutte Ouvrière (1.96%).
The 2022 election was canceled during the season by an error in the distribution of RN ballots, which deprived Marine Le Pen’s party of qualification for the second round.
Last year, the 46-year-old Insoumise had totaled 33% of the votes in the first round. The majority candidate Anne-Sophie Tribout (19.96%) had risen to the second round, the RN and PS candidates had respectively gathered 19.94% and 18.07% of the votes.
Progress you RN
A pattern very different from that which is emerging, nine months later, in a context of strong tensions against the pension reform, and against a background of the rise of the RN in this rural and mountainous territory. In these lands acquired from the left, the far-right party has progressed by almost 5 points compared to the first round of last year.
Even if she loses a little ground compared to the May 2022 ballot, Bénédicte Taurine says to herself ” satisfied “ of the result and hope “better mobilization in the second round”, April 2nd. Turnout reached 39.4% on Sunday.
The scenario of this second 2nd round is identical to that of the other constituency of Ariège, when, in May 2022, the dissident socialist Laurent Panifous had faced and beaten the outgoing deputy LFI Michel Larive. “With Ms. Froger, a dissident socialist, we are in the same configuration as in the 2nd constituency, recognizes Mrs. Taurine. We will go and find the abstainers”.
For his part Kamel Chibli, vice-president of the Occitanie region, close to Carole Delga who supported Ms. Froger, highlights the strong progress of the socialist candidate: “We are increasing everywhere, he rejoices, but it is the RN more than LFI which capitalizes on the national mobilization (against the pension reform), and the Renaissance candidate which is collapsing”.
The presidential Renaissance party called out on Twitter “to vote unambiguously for the Socialist Party candidate Martine Froger (…) in the face of those who want to destabilize our institutions”.