The results are already in: Olivier Faure’s motion won the first round of the Socialist Party (PS) congress on Thursday. He will face Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol in the second round, who preceded Helène Geoffroy, mayor of Vaulx-en-Velin Hélène Geoffroy.
Unknown to the French, the 45-year-old is nevertheless familiar to the Rouennais, for whom he has been a councilor since the last municipal elections in 2020.
This mining engineer began his political career with former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, who hired him in 2008 in the Rouen conurbation. Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol had offered his services by email to the then president of this body. The socialist had responded “the next day”, said the main person interested in The express some years ago.
He became the youngest regional president in 2013.
He then followed Laurent Fabius to the Quai d’Orsay, when the latter became Foreign Minister. His role: Advisor in charge of Development, Economic Affairs, G20 and Business.
Locally, this former ATTAC militant rose rapidly through the ranks. Elected regional councilor for Haute-Normandie in 2010, he took over this institution after the departure of socialist Alain Le Vern in 2013. At 36, he was then the youngest president of the region. 7 years later, he became mayor of Rouen and president of the Métropole Rouen Normandie.
During the presidential elections, Anne Hidalgo chooses her city to announce that she is a candidate for the presidential elections. During her campaign, Nicolas-Mayer Rossignol will be her spokesperson.
In congress, he wants to embody a “third way”
Visibly close to the elected Norman, the mayor of Paris decided to support him within the framework of the congress. Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol also has the support of Carole Delga, president of the Occitanie region or Valérie Rabault, deputy and leader of the socialist parliamentary group during the last legislature.
In an internal vote whose bet is above all the future of the New Ecological and Social Popular Union (Nupes), he advocates a “third way.” Between that of Olivier Faure, in favor of the union of the left, and that of Hélène Geoffroy who wanted to leave this coalition if she had been elected. For him, his “central way” is the only one capable of “gathering all socialists”.
During a debate on France Info with the other two candidates last Saturday, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol summarized his position on Nupes. According to him, it is a “useful framework for the National Assembly to communicate between groups.” “But is that enough to win, no,” he said as well. He advocates “States General of social and ecological transformation.”
However, given the results of the first round, it seems difficult for Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol to become First Secretary of the PS. Indeed, Olivier Faure’s motion would have obtained between 47.5 and more than 50% according to the first tendencies when that of the mayor of Rouen collected around 30% of the votes.
Consolation prize: could benefit from the votes of certain supporters of Hélène Geoffroy since she is radically opposed to keeping Olivier Faure at the head of the Socialists.
Source: BFM TV
