Regional elections regional consequences assured

The only metropolitan area where the right is given winning by polls is Alsace, it has already run.

The sentence of the campaign

"We need coherence between national policy and regional policy at the service of economic development of the country", repeated François Fillon to convince that vote for the opposition amounted to "a sterile refusal front."

The score for 2004

The right is retained 2 metropolitan areas, the Alsace and Corsica. In the first round, the UMP had list common with the UDF in 6 metropolitan areas (collecting from 26 to 34) and rider only in 15 other (its scores ranging from 18.4 to 32.3).

The objective

"We will make progress in the number of regional advisers and in number of regions," assured the Secretary General of the UMP, Xavier Bertrand. If they want to keep some hope to win, the UMP-new Centre must largely ahead of the PS in the first round - "7 or 8 points," said the UMP - in the hope of creating a dynamic that compensate for their lack of reserve of votes for the second round.

Proposals lighthouses

The UMP released eight commitments unevenly resumed its candidates. Among them, the promise not to raise local taxes - much easier to hold that the regions have less autonomy and less tax-a been made everywhere. The creation of "health houses" was much repeated in rural areas facing medical desertification. In times of record unemployment, the UMP also attaches a goal: a company/apprentice.

Campaign film

It is the story of a whinging, never really resolved, between local or national campaign strategy. In the wake of last year's European, Nicolas Sarkozy was, in the fall, convinced of the effectiveness of a campaign on national order words, by a right-wing United in the first round. Nineteen ministers - including eight heads of lists - were sent to battle. The debate on "national identity" was intended to capture the FN voters; the carbon tax and investment of the head of State in the Copenhagen Summit had to mollify supporters ecologists. Then, the failure of these initiatives, added to the unpopularity of Nicolas Sarkozy and the controversy - including the Epad-, led the candidates to "relocate" their campaign in the hope of defusing a potential sanction vote. "The role of the President of the Republic is not to campaign for the Presidents of regions", said Nicolas Sarkozy himself on 25 January. A support for François Fillon, most popular, beat the bleachers and prepare the indictment of the Socialist management of the regions. A division of roles is is established Cahin, in February, although the head of State had not waived its thematic travel in the province intended to reassure the right-wing voters. In vain, according to the polls. This has therefore stolen smashed since early March to a paradox: a President who is intensifying its commitment while rejecting any national consequence to a possible defeat in advance. "Regional elections, regional consequences," assured.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main asset of the majority is the splintering of the opposition, source of tension in mergers to lists of Deux-tours and a possible demobilization of its voters. Conversely, the UMP-new Centre lists suffer a dangerous lack of reserve of votes for the second round and remain suspended from the threat of triangular with the FN in the East and Southeast. For the first round, candidates are concerned the grumbling of categories which are traditionally acquired them such as farmers and doctors.