The 15 members of Elisabeth Borne’s government in the running for the legislative elections have qualified for the second round. While some enjoy a comfortable lead, many others are struggling.
” On a personal note, I would like to thank the inhabitants of the 6th district of Calvados for placing me at the head of this first round. “. In a sober statement, the head of government thanked her voters for the comfortable lead she has. The Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne came out on top with more than 32% of the vote and will face on June 19 the candidate of the left-wing coalition, Nupes, Noé Gauchard (24.53%).
The minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin will also face a Nupes candidate in the second round. With 39.11%, he is in a good position to win against Leslie Mortreux, who won 23.08% of the vote. Gabriel Attal, the young minister and former government spokesperson is also almost on the right track: 48.06% of voters voted for him, against 30.75% for his opponent from Nupes, Cécile Soubelet.
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And for many ministers, the scenario is repeated. In Isère, the Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament Olivier Véran will face a candidate from Nupes (Salomé Robin). Just like the Minister of Overseas Yaël Braun-Pivet in the 5th district of Yvelines, the Minister of Solidarity Damien Abad in Ain, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Marc Fesneau, or the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt (2nd district of Ardèche).
Duels
Two members of the government will face RN candidates: Brigitte Bourguignon, the Minister of Health and candidate in the 6th constituency of Pas-de-Calais, just like Franck Riester, Minister Delegate in charge of Foreign Trade and candidate in the 5th constituency of Seine- et-Marne. The first will have to maintain or widen the gap with Christine Engrand if she wishes to win. The second (29.27%) is on ballot with François Lenormand (25.41%). Government spokeswoman Olivia Grégoire is qualified in the 12th district of Paris against Jérôme Loriau, an LR candidate.
For her part, Justine Benin, the Minister of the Sea and the first of the executive to have qualified for the second round, is now campaigning to win against Christian Baptiste, a diverse left candidate who won 26.76% of the votes. voice.
Ministers in difficulty
Symbol of the difficulties of Macronie, for whom the absolute majority is uncertain: three ministers could even escape their mandate.
In the 6th district of Essonne, the Minister of Ecological Transition Amélie de Montchalin is in second position. She is ahead of almost 7 points by Jérôme Guedj (Nupes).
The new Minister of Public Service also came second in the first round with 32.5% of the votes cast. In front of Stanislas Guérini, candidate Nupes won 38.7% of the vote.
And in the 7th district of Paris, a historic stronghold of the left before it was taken by LREM in 2017, it is Clément Beaune who could see his defeat occur on Sunday: with 34.7% of the vote, he is undermined by media lawyer Caroline Mecary and her 39.5%.
For some, therefore, time in government could be short-lived. Because according to an unwritten rule but applied in 2017 by the Elysée, the ministers beaten during a ballot will have to resign.