Former Minister of National Education Jean-Michel Blanquer (LREM) was eliminated on Sunday in the first round of legislative elections in the 4th constituency of Loiret.
Mr. Blanquer came in third position with 18.89% of the vote, behind Bruno Nottin, candidate of the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (19.43%) and Thomas Ménagé, of the National Rally, who came first with 31, 45%.
Only 189 votes separate the former minister from the Nupes candidate, depriving him of accession to the second round.
The fourth constituency of Loiret, centered on Gâtinais, was left vacant by outgoing deputy Jean-Pierre Door (LR). Aged 80, the latter had decided not to run after four consecutive terms.
Mr. Blanquer, “parachuted”, did not reverse the trend in Montargis, in a constituency which had voted overwhelmingly in favor of Marine Le Pen during the two rounds of the presidential election.
The former minister had a rowdy campaign, where he was constantly attacked on his record at National Education, and even sprayed with whipped cream on a market by two angry teachers.
In particular, he focused his campaign on his Parisian connections, highlighting his desire to attract a higher education establishment to Montargis. The argument clearly did not bear in a largely peri-urban constituency, at the forefront of the Yellow Vests movement.
Another candidate remained at the quay. LR Ariel Lévy also failed to convince the Montargois. The announced successor of Mr. Door collected only 6.69% of the votes, in line with the first round of the presidential election. The fourth constituency had indeed placed Valérie Pécresse only in fifth position, with 5.2% of the vote.
06/12/2022 22:38:55 – Orléans (AFP) – © 2022 AFP
