in Seine-et-Marne, the hopes of the left facing an outgoing Macronist deputy

The weather is like the 8^e Seine-et-Marne constituency: uncertain. Under pouring rain, Arnaud Bonnet, middle school SVT teacher, begins this new campaign morning, Saturday June 22. The candidate of the New Popular Front (NFP), who confides “sleep three hours a night”, came to welcome activists arriving from Paris at the Ozoir-la-Ferrière station. They did not travel during the 2022 legislative campaign, but this time, the left-wing parties sent reinforcements for the early elections, scheduled for June 30 and July 7. “Sorry for the weather, it wasn’t planned, like the campaign”he smiles.

Two years ago, this father of two children, aged 47, and member of the Ecologists, had worn the colors of Nupes and failed by 4 votes – reduced to one vote by the Constitutional Council – against the candidate Renaissance, Hadrien Ghomi. “No, it wasn’t difficult to digest, I didn’t get into politics to get a job.”he evacuates. But his supporters have not forgotten. “We were all disappointed to come so close to the goal, it was frustrating”, confides Smaïl Djebara, PS departmental advisor of Seine-et-Marne. On the road that takes him from the station to the market, Arnaud Bonnet is quickly stopped by a young mother, who offers him help. “I voted for you two years ago. I was at the end of my life seeing the results, especially when a friend told me that she had voted for the other, without really knowing!”

This time, this voter is filled with hope, facing a presidential camp in complete disarray and a left-wing bloc which totaled, by adding the different candidates, 36.6% in the European elections in the constituency. “It’s a mini-France”according to a former local elected official. “Both from the point of view of sociology, but also from the electoral point of view, since it is a circus which is always on the side of the national majority, since 1981”, he emphasizes.

With rain streaming down his face, Arnaud Bonnet paints a portrait of his territory. “Here, there are suburban neighborhoods, working-class neighborhoods and villages.” Twenty-two municipalities, 154,000 inhabitants. The ecologist points “the big problem of daily transport” and difficult ends of the month. “We must resolve all the anxieties of everyday life and then move forward with ecological transitions”, he said. The autumn weather got the better of the few customers at the Ozoir market. The candidate and his activists decide to go door-to-door in the popular Anne-Franck district which is home to social housing.

“It’s very complicated here, and that’s why we’re going there, there are a lot of abstentions and votes for the RN”assures Arnaud Bonnet. “Things are bad at the moment”articulates with difficulty a first resident, on his doorstep. “They’re trying to kick me out of my house, I’ve been here since 2001.” There The discussion revolves around the disabled adult allowance (AAH) that this slightly lost voter receives. “We want to raise it to the level of the minimum wage”, immediately engages Arnaud Bonnet, who does not fail to remind us of the issues in the constituency. “We lost by one vote, every vote counts.”he slips, handing him a leaflet.

A few doors further, Ivan, 29, a maintenance engineer, did not vote in the European elections, but could this time vote for the legislative elections. “I will vote for the left, so that we do not switch to the RN. The Macronists? Given the disorder, no.” It’s 11 o’clock, and time to return to the market. The rain has given way to a cloudy sky, there are more customers. Nicole, 75, from the left but fierce opponent of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, surrounds the NFP candidate. “I voted for you last time, I’m optimistic. People will say to themselves that the ecologists aren’t Mélenchon! And then, they’re fed up with Macron.”

Macron, this is a name that the outgoing Renaissance MP Hadrien Ghomi is careful not to pronounce. The thirty-year-old is banking on his local roots to ensure his re-election, who was sent two years ago to this constituency where he did not live, even though he is a native and grew up in the department. The damaged image of the President of the Republic creates “a pushback effect”observe many Renaissance candidates. “Hadrian can create the feat twice, it is of Olympic dimension!, ignites his former employer, the boss of the senators in the presidential camp, François Patriat. We sent him on a difficult mission and he did extraordinary work, a lot of field work, even if he is aware, like me, that when faced with a wave, it is very difficult. But, he is very appreciated by mayors”.

This is also the first argument drawn up by Hadrien Ghomi, met at the Thorigny-sur-Marne sports festival. “I have 15 mayors out of 22 who support me while I only had three in 2022.” Among these councilors, elected officials with LR, who did not send a candidate against the outgoing deputy. It’s past 2 p.m. and the sun is shining again.

The mayor (Various center) of the city arrives at the entrance to the Windmill stadium. “No one knew him at the time, he has largely proven himself”, praises Manuel Da Silva, citing the installation of a system to obtain identity papers in his commune, thanks to the intervention of the outgoing deputy. At his side, Hadrien Ghomi, flanked by his campaign director and his photographer, drinks whey.

The day is busy: the candidate, who was going to celebrate his “1,000^e local event” before the dissolution, make a series of meetings. “He has participated in a lot of events, he is a representative. That’s not why I’m involved, I want to represent citizens and not shake hands”mocks Arnaud Bonnet. “My opponent is doing propaganda, I continue my activities”, retorts Hadrien Ghomi. Despite his speech only focused on the local area, voters questioned him about the dissolution. “What a crazy idea!”rolls her eyes a voter who runs a Nordic walking stand at the sports festival. “I am the main victim of the dissolution decided by the president!” the outgoing MP replies with a laugh.

A quick coffee, Hadrien Ghomi hits the road with his team towards Roissy-en-Brie, to the south of the district. The SOS Liens association, which organizes cultural and sporting outings in particular, welcomes him to its premises for an exchange with young people and parents of students. In front of this audience, largely from diverse backgrounds, the Renaissance candidate highlights his background as the son of an Iranian immigrant and focuses his speech on the danger of the RN. “The far right has an anti-Republic program which aims to stigmatize communities. All social policies can be undermined if the far right has the majority“. And to draw once again on his local experience: “You have seen very little of me serving soup in the media, I am here to raise the issues.”

After several minutes of discussion, a young woman asked him in a shy voice: “You made me aware of the issue of voting, but what is your party?” A short silence, Hadrien Ghomi begins: “I don’t hide behind my little finger, I’m a centrist. I’m against the extremes.” Still without mentioning Emmanuel Macron’s name, facing a public who question him on the minimum wage of 1,600 euros, retirement at 60 or the indexation of salaries to inflation, measures promised by the NFP. Once again, Hadrien Ghomi highlights his “personality” rather than his “label”.

Quite the opposite of his opponent from the RN, who intends to disrupt the duel between the left and the presidential camp. Manon Mourgères, 27 years old, intensive care nurse, was sent to the 8^e constituency, which she promises to live in quickly, she who lives in the 7^e. Unknown to voters, she is betting everything on the Jordan Bardella-Marine Le Pen duo while the far-right camp came first in the European elections, with 26.5% of the votes. “People are fed up, they want work-study, they are ready to try usshe delivers. We feel that there is a change in mentality compared to the RN.” Opposite, Hadrien Ghomi reassures himself as best he can: “The Europeans were playing on national grounds. And then, the RN had its lowest score in Seine-et-Marne in this round.”

List of candidates for the first round:

• Arnaud Bonnet (Union of the Left)

• Hadrien Ghomi (Together! (Presidential majority))

• Frédéric Renault (Far left)

• Henriette Sauvage (Sovereignist Right)

• Bernard Duchaussoy (Ecologists)

• Marnon Mougeres (National Rally)

• Jean-Marc Moskowicz (Reconquest!)