Strong accusations against the Quai d’Orsay and threats against the family of a candidate: the fight for the 8th constituency of French people living abroad, which notably includes Israel and Italy, hardened Thursday before the second round of legislative elections. A few days before the second round organized on Sunday, Meyer Habib (UDI-LR) in pole position on the evening of the first round accused the Quai d’Orsay of not having opened polling stations in Eilat, Beersheva and Ashdod for this election, three towns in Israel, the country with the largest number of voters in this constituency.
“19,000 French deprived of Israel deprived of the vote!”
Meyer Habib, close to former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, finished in the first round with 28.85% of the vote, ahead of Deborah Abisror-De Lieme (En Marche, 27.78%) and the candidates of Nupes (18 .84%) and Reconquest (6.91%). “SCANDAL! 19,000 French people from Israel deprived of voting at the ballot box by the Quai d’Orsay! Why? Anti-Zionism? French in Agadir”.
“Anti-Zionism or stigmatization of French Jews in Israel? The question arises. All means are deployed to bring me down,” added the deputy, wondering if the French consulate in Tel Aviv or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris had leaked a diplomatic note against him this week published in Le Canard enchaîné.
The leading candidate is said to be preparing to charter buses for voters on Sunday
This note suggests that Meyer Habib is preparing to charter buses to allow voters to go to the polls in the second round, despite the possibility of online voting. The note also considers that Meyer Habib “engages in practices whose legality could be questionable”. Before the first round, Meyer Habib had filed an appeal before the French Council of State, which was rejected, for polling stations to be opened in these three cities (Eilat, Beersheva, Ashdod), as in 2017.
“We have to organize ourselves so that people can come to Tel Aviv… and I invite you to finance coaches and buses together, so that everyone can go and vote” , launched this week Meyer Habib to his rival Deborah Abisror-De Lieme. “There is a nauseating climate. I received a text message with threats against my son and the words: + withdraw your candidacy +. I hope that the vote on Sunday will take place in a republican climate and without interference”, declared Thursday to AFP Deborah Abisror-De Lieme.
The candidate indicated that she wanted to file a complaint for these threats and called on Meyer Habib to end “the witch hunt” on the origin of the leak of the diplomatic note to the Canard Enchaîné. Deborah Abisror-De Lieme also denounced “practices which could lead the Constitutional Council to cancel the election”, people having voted in place of other voters using their personal codes, during the electronic vote, affirms- she.