The former presidential candidate refused to deposit his ballot in the ballot box, returning the envelope to the head of the polling station. The Constitutional Council has since been seized. But what is he really risking?
Jean Lassalle is a fake naive, a fake calm, a fake simpleton. In short, he is a real politician. Often mocked for his escapades, most often meticulously prepared in advance, here he is again. Squeezing the paws of the people present at the polling station, he is given an envelope, the two ballots, simple.
But at the time of depositing everything in the ballot box – the suspense is unbearable… he votes blank – he withdraws, returns the envelope to the one who looks like the head of the office, proud as a rooster, and declaims a stammer: “ For the first time in my life as a man, here in this town hall, I am going to perform one of the most important acts of my life. I refuse to participate in this vote, I abstain. Then he leaves. The image is in the box and opinion is unleashed or how to create a controversy at low cost.
After “these last 15 days of campaigning, which have given me so many sleepless nights (…) I said to myself that the white vote was no longer up to par”, explained the deputy for Pyrénées-Atlantiques to AFP . “On behalf of the constituency that trusted me so much, it seemed to me that I had to raise my voice a little bit and put myself in danger, to say that the situation is worrying,” he added.
He faces a fine of 15,000 euros and/or one year’s imprisonment.
After “this act which could appear shocking or senseless”, according to him, the Béarnais deputy indicates that he has “entered a form of political maquis” and specifies that he “must continue his reflection in the weeks to come” on the maintenance or withdrawal of his candidacy for the next legislative elections in June. “I don’t know, there were also deputies who were also guerrillas…”, commented Jean Lassalle, 66, who has been deputy for the 4th district of Pyrénées-Atlantiques since June 2002.
This seemingly innocuous act is however prohibited by law, Jean Lassalle having been a candidate for the presidential election on the one hand, and a citizen on the other. However, in the electoral code, it is clearly stipulated that “any discussion or deliberation of the voters is prohibited inside the polling stations”, which has, of course, violated the shepherd of the Pyrenees.
The Constitutional Council will decide on Wednesday April 27 what is going on. He faces a fine of 15,000 euros and/or one year’s imprisonment.