Court rejects appeal in Nîmes election dispute

The administrative court has rejected an appeal filed by Julien Sanchez, a candidate from the National Rally (RN), regarding the recent municipal elections in Nîmes. Sanchez had argued that the vote held on March 15 and 22 should be annulled due to several irregularities during the campaign, but the court ruled against this.

Election results remain unchanged

Sanchez received 37.52 percent of the votes, or 20,145 votes, and 11 elected officials. The winning list received 40.97 percent of the votes, or 21,997 votes, and secured 42 seats on the municipal council. The difference between the two candidates was 1,852 votes.

Email controversy not deemed illegal

Among the irregularities cited was an email sent by Paloma, a public contemporary music hall funded by public funds and under the authority of Nîmes Métropole. The email, sent on March 18 from Paloma’s official address, criticized the cultural policy attributed to the National Rally candidates. However, the court found that the email, even if it supported the winning list, did not provide an illegal electoral advantage.

Other irregularities not significant

The court also examined leaflets distributed during the campaign but concluded that their content and distribution did not undermine the sincerity of the vote. Five irregularities were recognized in different polling stations, including irregular proxies, unregistered voters, and identity verification issues. However, the court stated that these anomalies were not significant enough to alter the election result.

Mayor calls decision a victory for democracy

Vincent Bouget, the mayor of Nîmes, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, calling it a "decisive stage" in confirming the democratic legitimacy of the current municipal team. He accused the National Rally of attempting to destabilize the municipal majority through legal challenges for partisan purposes.

Uncertainty remains about further legal action

It remains to be seen whether Julien Sanchez will take the case to the Council of State, the highest administrative court in France, for further review.