Municipal election in Pont-Saint-Esprit: the outsider beat the outgoing mayor and the RN candidate

Gérome Bouvier and his Demain Pont-Saint-Esprit list come well ahead with 50.32% of the votes. Midi Libre – Jean-Michel Mart

From the first round, Gérome Bouvier's list was elected in the municipal election of Pont-Saint-Esprit, at the end of a short campaign where the outgoing mayor failed to convince. The RN also did not ride on its good score in the legislative elections in Pont-Saint-Esprit.

Thunderclap in Pont-Saint-Esprit where Sunday April 28, three lists faced each other for what was to be the first round of the early municipal election, called after a political crisis lasting several months and a wave of resignations within the majority and in the opposition.

There will in fact be no second round for the three candidates: Gérome Bouvier and his Demain Pont-Saint-Esprit list come well ahead with 50.32% of the votes, sweeping away ;the list of the outgoing mayor candidate for re-election Claire Lapeyronie (14.84% of the votes) and exceeding by more than 15 points that of the young Rassemblement national candidate Emmanuel Le Pargneux (34.55% ;nbsp;% of votes). With a participation of 53, 47 & nbsp;%, the Spiripontains moved more than in the first round of 2020 (44.3 & nbsp;% of participation), in the middle of the covid, but much less than & rsquo; in 2014, where they were more than 73% of those registered to vote.

Only 571 votes for Claire Lapeyronie

Elected in 2020 in the second round with a 200 vote lead, accumulating 1,659 votes, Claire Lapeyronie only convinced 571 Spiripontains this time. The arrival of regional and departmental elected officials to support her during the short electoral campaign was not enough to keep the regional advisor to the majority of the President of the Region Carole Delga in her seat as mayor. "I think that our project, basically, has not been heard. I regret it […]" she declared after announcing the results, to applause for Gérome Bouvier, and boos for herself. "I'm standing straight in my boots. I respect democracy. There are always mood swings, it's a bit regrettable and at the same time there is emotion. she understood. Commenting on her defeat, the mayor of Pont-Saint-Esprit wonders if there was "a temptation to clear the air ?&quot ;.

A list containing former elected representatives of Gilbert Baumet

Du "clearance" for the benefit of a list which is described as apolitical which includes some former elected representatives of the majority of the historic former mayor of Pont-Saint-Esprit Gilbert Baumet or the former candidate for 2014 municipal elections Valère Segal. Gérome Bouvier, whose first participation in political elections is, however, and who was an outsider just a few weeks ago, therefore managed to attract 1,937 voters out of a total of 3 ;890 (for 7320 registered). An election which "yet looked very uncertain" he underlined. But over the course of the campaign, the Spiripontain and his team have little by little gained ground, leaving behind the list of the outgoing mayor but also that of the Rally  nbsp;national, who hoped to ride the legislative elections of 2022. The RN deputy for the 4th constituency of Gard, Pierre Meurin, in third position on Emmanuel Le Pargneux's list, had in fact won more than 63  % of votes in the second round of legislative elections in Pont-Saint-Esprit.

A participation rate of 53.47%

Number of registrants: 7320.

voters: 3890; abstentions: 3430.

nulls: 19; whites: 27; votes cast: 3849.

Gérome Bouvier : number of votes : 1937 ; 50.32% of voters.

Emmanuel Le Pargneux: number of votes: 1330; 34.55% of voters.

Claire Lapeyronie: number of votes: 571; 14.84% of voters.

Reactions of political figures

Carole Delga The President of the Region wishes "to congratulate Gérome Bouvier and wishes him, with his team, full of success in its projects for the Spiripontains. With the new majority, the Region will continue its work in the service of the City and its inhabitants which has, among other things, led in recent years to the reopening of the Right Bank of the Rhône or tomorrow to the installation of a new construction site. a health center."

Roger Castillon The former mayor of Pont-Saint-Esprit does not hide his disappointment:"I think she did a great job and was capable of doing it for a long time. It’s also very unfair, people don’t know all the work she’s done. This is democracy. Good luck to M.Bouvier and his team."

Yvan Lachaud Departmental leader of the Horizons party, the ex-MP declares: "We are very happy with the election of Gérome Bouvier, our municipal delegate of Horizons. A competent man who will know how to bring people together."

Pascale Bordes The RN deputy for the 3rd constituency, present during the counting, shared: "I can imagine that, given Madame Lapeyronie's results, the Spiripontans wanted to express their fed-up and demonstrate a desire for renewal. I admire the attitude of this political adversary. I salute his courage."

Jean-Christian Rey, the president of the Rhone Gard conurbation, congratulates, in a press release, < em>"Mr Gérome Bouvier as well as his entire team for the results obtained." "He ran a great campaign, honest and close. I remain, with the entire Gard Rhone agglomeration, available to provide solutions that will be chosen together."