Jean Lassalle, former presidential candidate who had announced that he would vote blank in the second round, finally abstained this Sunday by slipping his ballot into his pocket in front of the ballot box of a polling station in Lourdios-Ichère (Pyrenees -Atlantic).
The former candidate, who had won more than a million votes and 3.13% of the vote in the first round, pretended to slip his “white ballot” into the ballot box before putting it in his pocket and declare “abstentionist in front of the ballot box” in front of the photographers.
Abstainer.
Explanations https://t.co/QoLouRgpa9 pic.twitter.com/T24jx6vl4s
— Jean Lassalle (@jeanlassalle) April 24, 2022
“Raise the tone a little bit”
After “these last fifteen days of campaigning, which have given me so many sleepless nights […]I said to myself that the blank vote was no longer up to par,” explained the deputy for the fourth constituency of Pyrénées-Atlantiques elected since 2002. “On behalf of the constituency which trusted me so much, it ‘seemed like I had to raise my voice a little bit and put myself in danger, to say that the situation is worrying,’ he continued.
After “this act which could appear shocking or senseless”, in his own words, Jean Lassalle indicated that he had entered “a form of political maquis”. He said he intended to “continue his reflection in the coming weeks” on maintaining or withdrawing his candidacy for the June legislative elections.