A French administrative court has annulled the municipal election victories of two mayors of Algerian origin, Idir Boumertit and Abdelkader Lahmar, who were elected in March under the La France insoumise (LFI) party. The court ruled that irregularities on opposing lists may have affected the outcome of the elections in the Lyon suburbs of Vénissieux and Vaulx-en-Velin. Despite the annulment, the two mayors will remain in office pending a possible appeal to the Conseil d'État.
In Vénissieux, Idir Boumertit won the election by a narrow margin of about 20 votes over the incumbent communist mayor, Michèle Picard. The court found that the far-right RN-UDR list, led by Quentin Taïeb, had irregular domicile declarations, which may have impacted the election outcome. The court also declared Taïeb ineligible for 24 months. Boumertit has denounced the decision as an "injustice" and announced plans to appeal to the Conseil d'État.
In Vaulx-en-Velin, Abdelkader Lahmar won the election by 104 votes over the socialist mayor, Hélène Geoffroy. The court annulled 693 votes from a centrist list, citing an irregularity in the listing of a candidate's nationality. The court ruled that this annulation may have altered the outcome of the election. Lahmar has also announced plans to appeal the decision, citing an "administrative error" by the prefecture.
The two mayors, both of Algerian origin, have been elected to represent their communities in France. Idir Boumertit has been a municipal councilor in Vénissieux for over 20 years, while Abdelkader Lahmar has taught economics and served as a deputy in the Rhône region. Their election annulments have sparked concerns about the impact on local governance and the democratic process.
The court decisions have also raised questions about the role of the prefecture in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. Lahmar has accused the prefecture of making an "administrative error" by validating faulty ballots in another commune, Saint-Fons. The prefecture's actions have been scrutinized in light of the election annulments.
A third LFI municipality, Saint-Fons, may face a similar fate. The court's rapporteur has recommended annulling the election of Hadi Mebarki, citing an irregularity in the listing of a candidate's nationality. The court has yet to make a decision on this case. The election annulments have sparked concerns about the stability of local governments in the Lyon region.
The mayors' appeals to the Conseil d'État will likely delay any new elections in the affected municipalities. If the Conseil d'État upholds the annulments, new elections will be required. The cases have highlighted the complexities of French electoral law and the challenges of ensuring the integrity of the democratic process.
Key points
- The French administrative court has annulled the municipal election victories of two mayors of Algerian origin, citing irregularities on opposing lists.
- The mayors, Idir Boumertit and Abdelkader Lahmar, will remain in office pending a possible appeal to the Conseil d'État.
- The cases have raised concerns about the role of the prefecture in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and the impact on local governance.
