In a surprising turn of events, Dominique Despras, the MoDem candidate in the 8th constituency of the Rhône, announced on Tuesday evening that he was withdrawing his candidacy just over an hour after it was made official. Despras took this decision to avoid a quadrangular situation in the upcoming elections. He made the announcement on Facebook, citing a spirit of responsibility and republican values as the reasons behind his withdrawal.
The Mont-Dore constituency, located northwest of Lyon, has been a stronghold for the right for the past 25 years. However, the outgoing LR MP Nathalie Serre only managed to secure the fourth position in the first round with 20.66% of the votes. The National Rally candidate Jonathan Gery led the polls with 33.46%, followed by the New Popular Front (NPF) candidate Anne Reymbaut with 22.75%, and Dominique Despras with 21.18%.
Despras explained to AFP that he found it unreasonable to proceed with a quadrangular. He had initially thought that Nathalie Serre would withdraw her candidacy. When she did not, he decided not to submit the necessary documents and the profession of faith. The Rhône prefecture confirmed that Despras had submitted his application in the afternoon but withdrew it after 6 p.m. Despite his announcement, he remains an official candidate on paper.
In another electoral twist, Gaël Nofri, the candidate for Christian Estrosi's Horizons party in the 5th constituency of the Alpes-Maritimes, announced that he had filed an appeal against what he termed a 'false orchestrated candidacy.' Nofri faced a crushing defeat against the outgoing MP Christelle d'Intorni (LR-RN), who regained her seat in the first round. He came in third place with 14.31% of the votes, behind the NPF candidate with 20.66%.
Nofri's appeal centers on the candidacy of Patrice Benoit, who ran under the 'Miscellaneous' banner and accumulated 10.77% of the votes. Nofri claims that Benoit's ambiguous campaign misled voters, as Benoit falsely claimed to be part of the presidential majority. This prompted Édouard Philippe, the former prime minister and president of the Horizons party, to issue a press release clarifying that Benoit was not supported by Horizons or its partners.
The Estrosi camp alleges that sympathizers of Christelle d'Intorni orchestrated Benoit's candidacy to siphon votes away from Nofri. They claim that members of d'Intorni's team were seen putting up posters for Benoit, a charge that d'Intorni vehemently denies. She dismissed Nofri's accusations as a case of sour grapes and asserted that even if Nofri's appeal succeeded, he would still lose in a subsequent vote.
Despite the controversy, Nofri remains steadfast in his appeal, which he plans to file with the constitutional council within ten days. He argues that the deceptive tactics used by Benoit and d'Intorni distorted the election results. Nofri believes that without Benoit's interference, he would have secured a second-round spot, potentially altering the election's outcome.
- Despras's decision to withdraw his candidacy highlights the complexities and strategic maneuvers often involved in political campaigns. His withdrawal, although unofficial on paper, demonstrates a commitment to avoiding vote splitting that could benefit opposing candidates.
- Nofri's allegations and subsequent appeal underscore the contentious and often murky nature of political campaigns. His claims of false propaganda and deceptive tactics reveal the lengths to which candidates and their supporters may go to secure electoral victories. The outcome of his appeal could have significant implications for future elections and the integrity of the electoral process.
