Certainly,
Nice Premium: What is your analysis of the first round?
Gaston Franco: We were particularly disappointed by the high number of abstentions. This election did not really interest the citizens, especially in the South of France. We see it as a failure of President Vauzelle, who refused to communicate about his record throughout the campaign. We can attribute the responsibility for this small result to him. As for the rest, in the Alpes-Maritimes, we achieved a good score. We did 2 points better than in the last elections nationally and in Nice as well. But that does not mean we are satisfied.
N.P: How are you preparing for the second round?
G.F: We will continue to travel throughout the department, multiplying meetings and rallies to encourage voters to vote next Sunday. I think the message has been heard; it has also been a shock for the abstainers, a strong interpretation to see the very high number of abstentions. We want to mobilize people who did not vote. We know very well that nearly half of the voters do not wish for a merger with the Socialist Party. Our room for improvement is very significant. We fight to the end to win.
N.P: What are your predictions for Sunday?
G.F: I think that given the importance of abstainers in the first round, it is quite difficult to make a prediction, at least in our department. What is important and essential is that we go as far as possible in terms of votes and number of seats to strengthen the position of Christian Estrosi in this department, as well as the position of Éric Ciotti, just as Hubert Falco did for the Var. And then, it is up to our friends in the Bouches-du-Rhône department to move up as well so that we can win at the regional level.
