Henri REVEL
Mayor UMP of Saint Laurent du Var
«Nice Premium: What are your thoughts after the announcement of these results?
Henri Revel: Nationally, it’s good, but locally, it’s even better. The Alpes-Maritimes once again voted Republican. Jean-Marie Le Pen has still scored highly. François Bayrou is at 15%, which is not bad. Now we are pleased with Sarkozy’s victory since we supported him.
N.P: What are your thoughts on Nicolas Sarkozy’s score in the first round?
H.R: We’re happy. I think we’ll be reinforced in the second round. If we add up the votes for Bayrou and Le Pen (that is, the people likely to vote for Sarkozy), there are certainly more than those who must vote for Ségolène. So, I think Sarkozy will have 54-55% in the second round.
N.P: Wouldn’t Le Pen give his votes to Nicolas Sarkozy?
H.R: I don’t believe a politician owns the voters’ votes. That won’t stop Sarkozy’s victory, who still presents himself as a unifier. I think he already has the stature of a statesman. He has everything to make a very good President of the Republic, I believe, with the help of the French, of course, because unpopular measures may need to be taken initially, and he will have to be supported by the public this time. You see, we are used to seeing the election results often challenged by the public. I know Nicolas Sarkozy; I know he won’t back down, he will do what is necessary for France, for the general interest and not for particular interests.
N.P: In the Alpes-Maritimes area, we have the Junior Minister for Planning and Territory, Christian Estrosi.
If Nicolas Sarkozy wins the second round, do you think Christian Estrosi will be able to head to a ministry in Paris?
H.R: I believe he has a great chance. He has shown, as Junior Minister for Planning and Territory, that he too has the makings of a statesman. He has done great things. We have to acknowledge the work he has done both as a minister and as the president of the General Council; it’s tremendous work, everyone agrees on that. In addition, it was in miniature, a trial balloon of what Nicolas Sarkozy will do at the presidential level. He moved around the Alpes-Maritimes department and rallied all the municipal and urban communities to carry out work, extend a hand to the opposition, by putting them on committees, telling them “come work with me.” This is a bit like what Bayrou wanted to do, but with people of a different majority, but it does not work. We would have found ourselves under the Fourth Republic. Now we are under the Fifth with a Constitution designed so that parties do not always govern. Estrosi has shown what Sarkozy will do nationally. What was done in the Alpes-Maritimes will be done nationally. We tried to portray Sarkozy as a devil. But he’s a humanist, a man of integrity […] I don’t know if you’ve noticed in his speeches, but they were perhaps a bit Gaullist. They resembled the speeches of General De Gaulle in his time. It won’t be easy, we must have hope, we must fight for it.»
Marc ORSATTI
President of the Union of Socialist and Republican Elected Officials, Municipal Councilor of Saint Laurent du Var.
«Marc Orsatti: At the national level, I’m very, very pleased with Ségolène’s score. Polls had her between 23-24%. She’s at 26%. I think we’re above. We’re three and a half points behind Sarkozy, so this seems very positive. I think she will be able to unite well beyond the Socialist Party. I don’t know exactly the reserve pool of votes from the far left […]. Some have spoken this evening to call for votes for Ségolène. The democratic rally we were hoping for around Ségolène really happened. There is a clear divide between liberal right and a left that indeed has a societal project, a left that wants more social cohesion. It will be a great showdown in the second round between a tough, liberal right that is Thatcherite, Reaganite, and is a bit the representative of Bush in France. I am convinced that all the democrats and all those who voted for Bayrou, a large part will turn to Ségolène Royal’s candidacy.
Nice Premium: How will the second round be organized? Do you think François Bayrou’s voters will pivot towards Ségolène Royal?
M.O: From the moment François Bayrou refused the left/right divide, I don’t see him today, or else he would be renouncing what he said throughout the campaign, I don’t see him calling to vote for Nicolas Sarkozy. I wouldn’t understand.
N.P: You think the voters will follow their candidate?
M.O: I am convinced that more than half of Bayrou’s voters will call to vote against Sarkozy.
N.P: Which would give a good lead to Ségolène Royal?
M.O: I firmly believe that we can absolutely (given the score and the rallying she operated in the first round) win in the second round.
N.P: Are the other candidates calling for votes?
M.O: The rally is quite happening. The anti-Sarkozy candidacy is happening. Anything but Sarkozy. I think that today on the left, the support will very quickly operate. It has already widely happened tonight.
N.P: Are you confident?
M.O: I am more than confident. We were forecasted much lower.
Once again, the polls were wrong. They predicted Ségolène to score between 22-24, in the last poll, she was between 25-26. I remain convinced that this is an excellent score. She managed to rally on her candidacy from the first round, and we are fully capable of rallying all those who do not want Sarkozy, who do not want this tough, liberal right.
N.P: If Ségolène Royal is elected, how do you see things in terms of government…?
M.O: I can’t preempt Ségolène Royal’s choices in the composition of her government, but I believe she can make a government that unites the left and all those who will want to participate.
N.P: And regarding the results of Saint Laurent du Var?
M.O: Comparing with the results of Nice, which are always generally above those of Saint Laurent du Var, we hoped for more. We always hope for more. Comparing to the 11% that Jospin scored, we gained 5 points. After, in the department, it seems that compared to national, we are slightly below. But let’s not get the elections mixed up. This is indeed a presidential election. It’s true that it relatively crystallized around Sarkozy’s candidacy, I acknowledge that.»
