RN barred from the vice-presidency

POLITICS – The RN is empty-handed. Former minister Roland Lescure and Republican Right MP Annie Genevard were elected vice-presidents of the National Assembly this Friday, July 19, against RN candidates Sébastien Chenu and Hélène Laporte, outgoing vice-presidents.

With 162 and 148 votes respectively, Sébastien Chenu and Hélène Laporte were beaten by Roland Lescure (257 votes) and Annie Genevard (273 votes). Jordan Bardella’s party thus did not obtain any of the six vice-presidential positions in the National Assembly, despite its large number of deputies which makes it the leading opposition party in the Assembly. During the previous legislature, on the contrary, the RN occupied two vice-presidential positions.

After two rounds of voting, the six vice-presidents of the lower house of the new legislature are: Naïma Moutchou (Horizons), Clémence Guetté (LFI-NFP), Nadège Abomangoli (LFI-NFP), Xavier Breton (Republican Right), Annie Genevard (Republican Right) and Roland Lescure (Together for the Republic ex-Renaissance).

This Friday’s vote proved to be historically chaotic. Indeed, two and a half hours after the start of voting operations, a real dramatic turn of events occurred: “ At the end of the count, it appeared that ten envelopes too many had been placed in the ballot boxes (…) We will have to redo the vote since the results were too small.”declared President Yaël Braun-Pivet (Renaissance), re-elected to the rostrum the day before.

A parliamentary source told AFP that he had “no no precedent in mind” of such a situation. Shame on those who committed this fraud”thundered PS MP Jérôme Guedj (PS) in the chamber, demanding an investigation and a review of voting procedures.

In the Salle des Quatre Colonnes, where the deputies meet the press, the elected officials appeared disillusioned. I’m a little sad about the show we’re giving.”reacted Jean-René Cazeneuve (Together for the Republic, ex-Renaissance) to the microphone of LCP. “There is suspicion of ballot stuffing”noted the spokesperson for the Republican Right, Vincent Jeanbrun.

After a new vote, four of the six vice-presidents were elected in the first round. In the second round, all the positions were filled. The deputies must now resume their work at 9:30 p.m. for the election of the three influential quaestors, responsible for the proper administrative and financial management of the lower house.