in Paris, Bertrand Delanoë is campaigning, leaflet in hand, for the outgoing president

Selfies, friendly claps and hugs, it reigns like a Parisian municipal countryside area, Friday April 15, in the 17th arrondissement of the capital. The reception of the former mayor of Paris by his former citizens is warm, but Bertrand Delanoë is not there to test his popularity. The retired politician obviously takes a lot of pleasure in this highly publicized walkabout, which does not prevent him, leaflet Emmanuel Macron in hand, from remaining focused on his message.“Dear Madam, above all, tell all your friends to vote Macron. On Sunday, we don’t want an extreme right, huh”, said Bertrand Delanoe to a resident. “No, no, not at all, especially not”, she promises.

The former socialist, who returned his party card four years ago, had already called for a vote for the current head of state in 2017. This time, nine days before the second round of the presidential election, he engages in the field to, he says, counter Marine Le Pen: “When it comes to democracy, when it comes to the soul of France, I cannot remain indifferent and I really want to be active in defending my country. And the defense of my country goes through the Macron’s election.”

A lady speaks to Stanislas Guérini
– I regret having voted for you, we never see you in the neighborhood
– yes, but I am not a local elected official.
Delanoe concludes
– don’t worry, he will come more often pic.twitter.com/joJdRV0ehs

— Benjamin Mathieu (@BenjMathieu) April 15, 2022

At his side, there is the head of La République en Marche and deputy for the constituency Stanislas Guérini, as well as the government spokesman Gabriel Attal who humorously salutes the involvement of Bertrand Delanoë, well aware of what the former mayor can bring in the between-two-towers: “We were talking about it just now, I said to myself it’s like cycling, you can’t forget it, Bertrand”.

“There are quite a few figures who speak to an electorate who finds himself in the values ​​of the democratic left. And Bertrand Delanoë is one of them.”

Gabriel Attal, government spokesperson

at franceinfo

The figure of the current head of state also arouses a lot of rejection, including in the street. “Macron, break up! Five years is enough”, shouts a man in the middle of this towing operation. “I won’t vote for Le Pen, I don’t like Le Pen, but I won’t vote for Macron”, he adds with the same vocal intensity.

To speak to left-wing voters, Bertrand Delanoë asks Emmanuel Macron to speak to them: “I want him to do even more for social cohesion and for the fight against global warming. I believe that is his intention.” Still, many voters of Jean-Luc Mélenchon still see the figure of Emmanuel Macron as a foil.