Happy Results for the Socialist Party
Applause and shouts of joy at the Socialist Party headquarters in Nice upon the announcement that they are leading in the PACA region.
Patrick Allemand, lead candidate for the Socialist Party in Alpes-Maritimes, speaks about the results of this first round. His initial reaction at the national level:
“A high abstention rate proves a real crisis of confidence among the voters towards the political class. We are witnessing a disavowal of the UMP at this mid-term point of Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential mandate. It is a protest vote.”
At the regional level, Patrick Allemand’s assessment is rather positive:
“We are satisfied with the result both at the national and regional levels. Indeed, the Socialist Party is ahead of the UMP even though the PACA region is predominantly pro-Sarkozy.”
UMP: Eric Ciotti: “Next Sunday, anything is possible!”
On the UMP side, the atmosphere is calmer, more silent. Between disappointment and motivation, the time is spent in attentive listening to the televised media.
However, Eric Ciotti, UMP Deputy and President of the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes, shares his reactions through official email:
“The first and main lesson to draw from this election is the particularly high abstention rate, which should lead us to put into perspective the results recorded in this first round. The voters have indeed been misled by Mr. Vauzelle who refused any debate or confrontation throughout this campaign. This politics of disdain is a reflection of the actions taken by Michel Vauzelle’s now fragmented majority, towards the people of Alpes-Maritimes, who have been forgotten since 2004. Next Sunday, anything is possible!”
