The Land of Right(s), are the Alpes-Maritimes undergoing a transformation? This is the question posed after the first round of the legislative elections, which placed the presidential majority ahead in votes compared to LR and RN.
Characterized by a record abstention rate (54.80%) that exceeds the national rate, this election did not come without surprises, beyond providing the expected answers.
First, it is worth noting that 7 of the 9 incumbents (6 LR and 3 Ensemble!) were on the starting line. A first verdict fell in the 6th constituency: Laurence Trastour-Isnart (LR) will not participate in the second round. It will be Bryan Masson (RN, 25.32%) and Jean-Baptiste Mion (ENS, 23.99%) who will contend for the position in a highly uncertain duel.
In terms of confirmation, the western constituencies remain a stronghold for the Republican right: Alexandra Martin (33.4% in the 8th) and the evergreen Michรจle Tabarot (28.9% in the 9th) will have no difficulty asserting themselves over Jean-Valรฉry Desens (ENS) and Franck Galbert (RN), respectively.
In the 1st constituency, Eric Ciotti, who embodies the “hard” right and has received a favorable treatment from Reconquรชte and RN, is in a favorable position against Nice political promise Graig Monetti. The gap between the two finalists (31.7 vs. 25.9) is clear but not impossible to bridge. The transfer or lack thereof of votes from the NUPES candidate could prove decisive.
In the other “semi-urban” constituency, estrosist Philippe Pradal (26.9%, ENS) has taken the lead over Enzo Giusti (21.8%, Nupes) and is expected to replace the outgoing unrenewed Cรฉdric Roussel (LREM).
There remain constituencies where the result is truly uncertain: the 2nd, where Lionel Tivoli (23.9%, RN) is narrowly ahead of the incumbent Loรฏc Dombreval (23.6%, NS). The 4th, where Alexandra Masson (28.8%, RN) has taken the lead over outgoing Alexandra Valetta-Ardisson (22.3%). The 5th, perhaps the most “heated” election, between the protรฉgรฉs of the two most prominent local politicians, Eric Ciotti and Christian Estrosi, for whom any occasion is a good one to come out on top: Marine Brenier (26.11%, ENS) has a good chance of repelling the attack (and what an attack) of Christelle DโIntorni (22.2%, LR). As for the 6th, the incumbent Eric Pauget has found in Eric Mele (23.7%, ENS) a tougher opponent than expected.
