Two candidates with the same name, Sandrine Rousseau, are running for the legislative elections. The unprecedented situation has arisen in the 9th district of Paris, where out of the 13 candidates in the race, two Sandrine Rousseau’s have taken part.
Two candidates with only their names in common.
The uncommon method of the pro-rurality party (LMR) to oppose the ecologist party (NUPES).
The candidacy of another Sandrine Rousseau (LMR) in the same circumscription than another Sandrine Rousseau (NUPES) seems to ethically questionable. Facing the pro-hunting candidate, the eco-feminist representing NUPES accuses the rural movement (LMR) of “taking the voters for fools” in an interview for 20minutes. Frustrated by the anti-democratic strategy of the LMR party, Sandrine Rousseau (NUPES) even refers to Russian strategies that confuse these voters as homonymous candidates.
Accusations were completely denied by the LMR candidate who said on Twitter on May 21 that she did not want to oppose her namesake candidate of NUPES;
“With the rural movement, we do not seek to oppose. On the contrary, we favor living together, transmission and respect for all. It is time to find, together, the path of common sense” (Translation from French).
But this confusion did not only anger the NUPES candidate. Some voters claimed on the internet to have voted (without knowing it) for the wrong Sandrine Rousseau.
“There are two Sandrine Rousseau in my circo. Nobody told me. So I voted for Sandrine Rousseau (of the Movement for Rurality)” (Translation from French)
tweeted a voter frustrated by his confusion.
In addition to the confusion of homonyms, the ballot of the NUPES candidate came first; many stopped at the first Sandrine Rousseau (LMR) without realizing that there were two Sandrine Rousseaus in this circonscription.
A voter explains in a French newspaper (HuffPost) that she had to go out the voting booth to get the right ballot;
“The ballot of the ‘real’ Sandrine Rousseau is green and recognizable. But the one. Of the “fake” arrived before, so if we are not careful, it is problematic” (Translation from French) she continues.
The voters accused then the party LMR to have set up a false candidacy in the only objective to confuse them.
A simple mistake or an anti-democratic strategy?
It will be impossible to know. But if it was indeed a strategy on the part of the pro-hunting party (LMR), it was a failure. Sandrine Rousseau, candidate of the NUPES, won the legislative elections in the 9th district of Paris with 58,08% of the votes. The eco-feminist then entered the national assembly under the ecological party NUPES.
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