Focus on French election fallout

By Peter Humi, CNN's Paris Bureau Chief

PARIS, France -- Two of France's three largest cities are now firmly in the hands of the Socialist Party and their allies.

It was undoubtedly a remarkable achievement, wresting away the capital, the plum political prize, after 24 years of conservative RPR (Rally for the Republic) rule and the first left-wing administration in Paris since the revolutionary council of the 'Commune' seized power in 1871.

The new occupant of Paris' sumptuous Hotel de Ville (town hall) is 50-year- old Socialist Bertrand Delanoe, described by Dominique Moisi, a veteran political observer, as "honest and modest."

Delanoe is a relative unknown in French politics.

Although he has led the socialist opposition in Paris and served as a senator, he made the headlines during a TV interview in 1999 in which he revealed his homosexuality.

He's one of the few openly gay politicians in France.

He also comes to city hall with a solid political reputation, unmarked by scandal and claiming to only to want what's best for Paris and its two million inhabitants.

His election victory comes after a campaign in which he stood on issues that are relatively run-of-the-mill; increasing social and financial help for the capital's worse-off, and an intention to reduce pollution, largely caused by the city's heavy traffic.

To many observers, though, it was accusations of corruption levelled against the RPR that made up many Parisian's minds.

As one pollster said, Parisians were tired of seeing their hefty city taxes apparently misused for political and financial gain by those in power.

The perceived rot at city hall needed, as Moisi put it , "a sweep of fresh air" and Delanoe was deemed to be the man with the broom.

The embattled RPR sacked the previous mayor, Jean Tiberi, who was tainted by the allegations of scandal, and made veteran Philippe Seguin its official candidate for town hall.

Tiberi, however, instead of going quietly, insisted on running for office as an independent and saved his bitterest attacks during the election campaign for Seguin.

The spat between the two men made it virtually impossible for the Conservatives to unite forces for Sunday's crucial second-round run off vote, and despite receiving a slight majority in the total vote, the right wing took only 71 of the capitals council seats, with the Socialist and environmentalist Green alliance picking up 92.

A similar split among the Right in Lyon had similar consequences, with the traditionally solid bourgeois city turning Left.

But the capture of the two long-time right-wing bastions were the highlights for the Socialists and confounded predictions of a 'pink wave' across the country. In fact, there was barely a ripple.

Almost 30 other cities, including Strasbourg, fell to the right.

Some high profile losers included Education Minister Jack Lang, European Affairs Minister Pierre Moscovici and Transport Minister Jean-Claude Gayssot.

In many cases Socialist party 'big guns' had been 'parachuted' as candidates into cities or towns where they had no real ties, a policy that proved by and large unsuccessful and an embarrassment to Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.

While the Right held its own or made gains across the country, the loss of Paris is considered by the experts to be a blow to President Jacques Chirac, who not only founded the RPR party that controlled the city for so many years, but also served as Mayor himself for 18 years, using the capital as a power-base for his victorious presidential campaign in 1995.

In fact, the allegations of corruption against his party date back to his watch at city hall and, although he has firmly denied any wrong-doing, have followed him to the Elysee Palace.

Both the Socialists and Conservatives are claiming the local elections were good results for their parties.

With just over a year to go before parliamentary and presidential elections, this is hardly surprising.

Socialist Party spokesman Vincent Peillon told the 'Parisien' daily newspaper the results were the first time a government in power did so well in municipal elections, and his opposite number Jean-Louis Borloo saw the fall of Paris and Lyon as an "exception" following "distinct circumstances."

On the two extremes of the political spectrum, both the ultra-right nationalist parties (FN and MNR) fared badly, as did the Communist party (PCF), whose leader Robert Hue claimed it "had been a bad night for the Left..."

Socialists set to take Paris
March 12, 2001
Cliffhanger election in Paris
March 18, 2001
French left bids for comeback
March 12, 2001
France goes to the polls
March 11, 2001
Chirac dogged by corruption claims
December 6, 2000

Office of the French President
French Socialist Party
Bertrand Delanoe
French Green Party
RPR

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