Policy of the area Centers

In France, the Région Centers is an area marked by its rural identity but which comprises agglomerations with strong industrial traditions (Orleans, Tours, Bourges, Vierzon, Montargis, Dreux). Thus the area always oscillated between a certain conservatism and revolutionary inclinations, anchoring it sometimes on the right, sometimes on the left.

From its geographical location, the Center area with is crossed traditional influences. It is at the same time Christian-Democrat as can the being the great West, preserving like the rich departments of the Ile-de-France and Socialist and Communist like the areas of the Massif Central. The level of analysis of the regional political situation most relevant thus remains the department.

Departmental political situations

Panorama of the departments

the Loiret is a very preserving department, whose whole of the deputies is traditionally of right-hand side, just like the general advice very mainly on the right. Except for Montargis, Communist until 2001, or of Fleury-les-Aubrais (agglomeration of Orleans) that it was it until 1995. Orleans is a city as for it rather preserving, but which always chose rather center mayors, of left or right-hand side. The current mayor Serge Grouard (UMP) and his predecessor Jean-Pierre Sueur (PS) appears however more clearly committed respectively on the right and on the left. In 2002, the department of Loiret placed Jean-Marie Le Pen almost at equality with Jacques Chirac at the 1st turn of the presidential election, with each one a little more than 19% of the votes

the Indre-et-Loire is a more moderate department, but he also with dominant preserving (in particular Jean Royer which strongly marked the town of Tours by its successive mandates). To note the town of Saint-Pierre-of-Body, communist bastion within the tourangelle agglomeration.

the Eure-et-Loir is a department very marked by its agricultural vocation (Beauce) and which has a tradition radical-Socialist very anchored. Particularly with Chartres (however one of the richest cities of the area) which was socialist of 1977 to 2001 with at its head Georges Lemoine. Châteaudun, as for it, remained until the beginning of the year 1980 a communist bastion before electing a mayor RPR, Alain Venot, which is always the first magistrate of the commune. Dreux, town industrial will be anchored on the left during a good part of the 20th century, with at its head Maurice Viollette. With the beginning of the year 1980, it rocks however it also on the right. It will be the " théâtre" birth of a strong extreme-right-hand side with the accession of Jean-Pierre Stirbois (|FN) within the municipal team of Dreux, under the first mandate of the mayor RPR Jean Hieaux. It east is about the first electoral victory of the National front in France. It marked the spirits, but since the departure of Marie-France Stirbois for the town of Nice at the end of the years 1990, and its death in April 2006, one can consider that the National front is not any more one important actor of the departmental political life. The general advice as for him, will be on the left until 1986, with in the chair Robert Huwart. Since, under the presidency of Martial Taugourdeau (RPR) then with his death in 2001 of Albéric de Montgolfier, the general advice is directed by a majority from the right and center-right and practical however a strong industrial relations policy (14th French department for the welfare expenditure per capita).

the Loir-et-Cher is the moderated department par excellence, very anchored to the center-right of the political chessboard. After the two mandates of Jack Lang to the head of the town of Blois, the department is today one of the last national bastions of the UDF which is present at the town hall of Blois (Nicolas Perruchot), but also with two deputies out of three (Nicolas Perruchot and Maurice Leroy) and the two senators of the department (of which Jacqueline Gourault). UDF also controls the general advice with the election with his presidency of Maurice Leroy in 2004.

the Cher is the only department of the area whose general advice is directed by a left majority (but only since the elections of 2004). The Expensive one knew a very strong presence of the French Communist party, in particular with Bourges and Vierzon. Today, only one district, out of the three which account the department, remains controlled by the party with Jean-Claude Sandrier. The towns of Bourges and Vierzon from now on are directed by coalitions of right-hand side/center-right (Bourges) or of right-hand side/center-right/center-left (Vierzon). Expensive-north (the Sologne-Sancerrois) remains as for him very strongly anchored on the right, just like the south of the department around Saint-Amand-Montrond, whose Maurice Papon was the mayor until the beginning of the year 1980.

the Indre as for him a department anchored on the left because of the demographic weight of Chateauroux, however is rather gained by the line in 2001. The general advice is however mainly on the right and even gained a seat moreover in this direction with the elections of 2004.

Main cities

Except for Turns, directed by German Jean (PS), all the prefectures of the area are acquired in UMP and UDF (Blois only). Bourges remained on the right in 2001 with the re-election with the first turn of Serge Lepeltier. Orleans passed on the right with Serge Grouard, just like Chartres and Chateauroux. Blois was gained by UDF vis-a-vis a Jack Lang which paid expensive its failure with the candidature for the nomination of the PS for the town hall of Paris that Blésois will not forgive him.

With the national elections

From the point of view of the legislative elections

The area marks from this point of view its preserving anchoring.

2002-2007

Since 2002, it counts only three deputies of left: a Communist in Expensive, a Socialist in Indre and a radical left in Eure-et-Loir. UDF is present only in the Loir-et-Cher. This situation, although a little caricatural, is all the same meaning, the area having always more " versé" in the " bleues" waves; that in the " roses" waves; which it always somewhat resisted.

Presidential election

2007

The presidential election of 2007 seems confirms its anchoring on the right area Center with a score of the candidate of UMP, appreciably higher than the national result. Only the department of Indre gives a small majority (50.17%) to Ségolène Royal with the second turn. The score of Francois Bayrou, in the national average, can have a particular resonance in an area which counts one of the strongholds of UDF with the Loir-et-Cher. With the first turn it is remarkable that the candidate of the National front carries out a score in the logic of that which it obtained at the national level. That confirms that the anchoring of its party in the area and in particular in Loiret and in Eure-et-Loir, becomes very marginal.

Results with the 2nd turn

Registered: : 1781451
Voters: : 1517516/85,18%
Expressed: : 1446746/81,21%
Abstention: : 263935/14,82%
Ségolène Royal: : 650786/44,98%
Nicolas Sarkozy: : 795960/55,02%

Expensive: NS 51.39%/SR 48.61%
Eure-et-Loir: NS 58.16%/SR: 41.84%
Indre : SR 50.17%/NS 49.83%
Indre-et-Loire: NS 52.69%/SR 47.31%
Loir-et-Cher: NS 55.92%/SR 44.08%
Loiret: NS 58.55%/SR 41.45%

NS: Nicolas Sarkozy; SR: Ségolène Royal

Results with the 1st turn

Olivier Besancenot: : 65347/4,41%
Marie-George Buffet: : 30003/2,02%
Gerard Schivardi: : 5696/0,38%
Francois Bayrou: : 278177/18,76%
Jose Bove: : 17395/1,17%
Dominique Voynet: : 22655/1,53%
Philippe de Villiers: : 45720/3,08%
Ségolène Royal: : 345354/23,29%
Frederic Nihous: : 20567/1,39%
Jean-Marie Le Pen: : 168912/11,39%
Arlette Laguiller: : 22279/1,50%
Nicolas Sarkozy: : 460429/31,06%

The district council

Since the first election in 1986 until 1998 , the district council remained mainly on the right, under the presidency of the UDF eurélien Maurice Dousset, with a relatively strong presence of the National front. The area is managed jointly with the RPR whose most influential political personality is Paul Masson, senator of the Loiret.

In 1998 , the area rocks on the left with only one seat in advance. From this situation is born a transitory alliance between the line and the National front around Bernard Harang (liberal Démocratie). This alliance is supported by DLL and the RPR, whose leader Yves Fromion will resign because of his dissension with the national directives of his party (prohibition of alliances). UDF, carried out by Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, is opposed mainly to alliance, one of its members going until communicating to the press the names negotiators of the agreement with the National front. Bernard Harang resigns a few days after his election under the pressure of the national political apparatuses and strong demonstrations, in particular in Orleans.

logically succeeds to Him Michel Sapin chief candidate (PS), mayor of Nickle silver-on-Hollow (Indre), former minister, who remain president until April 2000, date on which it joined the Government of Lionel Jospin as Minister for the Public office. He gives up on the occasion his mandate of regional adviser, but preserves that of general adviser in order not to make lose his canton with the left.
is then elected president Alain Rafesthain, elected little known of Expensive, mayor of Fussy which will remain in place until the elections of 2004.

In 2004 , the district council remains on the left with the return of Michel Sapin at her head. In parallel, Alain Rafesthain becomes president of the general advice of the Cher, which has just passed on the left and single department of the area controlled by the PS and its allies. In July 2007, Michel Sapin resigns of the Presidency of the District council due to Cumul of the mandates. To succeed to him, the regional majority indicates François Bonneau (PS), which was until there in load of the colleges within the regional executive.

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