Political life in Ardeche of 1997 to 2007

The political life ardéchoise is marked, these last years, by an instability imposed by frequent changes on the head of the local executives.

The year 1997

The year 1997, first of all, mark some major changes. The three legislative districts rock on the left, then appear to new heads such as Pascal Terrasse young general adviser of the Canton of Borough-Saint-Andéol, elected appointed first district and Stephan Alaize , the young socialist mayor of Aubenas and general adviser of the Canton of Aubenas, elected appointed third district. Jacques Dondoux , appointed radical socialist of the second, is named with the government of Lionel Jospin, yields its place of deputy to his substitute, Jean Pontier , then mayor of Saint-Jean-with-Muzols and General adviser of the Canton of the Tournon-on-Rhone.

New electoral bounce: later, in June, of the partial municipal elections with Annonay save the Socialist Jean-Claude Tournayre , the first town of Ardeche rocks on the left. Indeed, the Council of State had just cancelled the election of Claude Faure for irregularity in six months of the municipal elections of 1995.

The year 1998

The year 1998 marks a new turning for the policy ardéchoise. The left gains the regional elections (of many seats) with the young Socialist Pierre Jouvencel , general adviser of the Canton of Saint-Félicien and the Communist annonéen Serge Plana top of the list. On the right Jean-Claude Flory and UDF Dominique Chambon is also elected. It should be noted that an elected official CPNT, Alain Roure is elected, which is not exceptional when one knows the big number of hunters in Ardeche.

But especially the general advice rocks on the left with the election of Michel Teston as a president in the place of Henri Torre . Old strongholds of right-hand side are thus seen rocking from right to left such as the cantons of Annonay-North, Annonay-South (where the new mayor, Jean-Claude Tournayre is elected), or the Canton of Deprived with the mayor of Saint-Priest of then, Yves Chastan .

At the time of the senatorial elections, for the first time for a very long time, a senator of left is elected in the person of the president of the general advice, Michel Teston which replaces Bernard Hugo , the former mayor RPR d' Aubenas, who did not represent himself. Henri Torre , as for him, is re-elected senator.

The extreme line, which was always weak in Ardeche, was carried out a long time by FN albenassien Thierry Arsac . It joined the rows of the megretists within MNR.

The year 1999

At the time of the European elections, it is the list PS carried out by François Holland which arrives at the head with nearly 20% of the votes, followed list Charles Pasqua - Philippe de Villiers with 12,82% of the voices, that of the RPR of Nicolas Sarkozy with 10,5% of the voices, that of CPNT with Jean Saint-Jose of 9,69% and then that of the UDF with Francois Bayrou which makes 8,66% of the voices. FN of Jean-Marie Le Pen makes a bad score (4,34%).

By adding certain voices, one cannot really say that the left really carried it.

The year 2000

The year 2000 sees a political fact marking and " douloureux" for Aubenas. The mayor of then, Stephan Alaize , symbol even of the politician, young person, ambitious, who gains all (he was mayor, deputy, vice-president of the general advice) and which had succeeded in making rock a stronghold of right-hand side on the left, decides, following disagreements, to remove some of his delegations to his assistants. The majority tears, the Communist Henri Delauche carries out then a very hard face against the mayor and resigns with an important part of the city council men of the majority. A by-election thus takes place and, following a fratricidal fight between Henri Delauche and Stephan Alaize, the line, taken along by the RPR Jeanne Chaussabel , gains the elections and makes rock Aubenas, second city of the department, on the right. Jean-Pierre Constant becomes the first assistant.

The year 2001

The year 2001 also sees many bounces. The municipal elections initially are marked by the national blue wave. Jeanne Chaussabel is re-elected in Aubenas vis-a-vis the Socialist Robert Eymery like Henri-Jean Arnaud with Guilherand-Barns. Michel Valla , then mayor UDF and general adviser of Saint-Pierreville beats Yves Chastan with the first turn (of some voices only) and succeeds Amédée Imbert with the town hall of Privas, Annonay rocks again on the right with the election of Gerard Weber which beats the outgoing socialist mayor Jean-Claude Tournayre . Teil rocks also on the right with the election of Christian Lavis which succeeds the Socialist Robert Chapuis who did not represent himself.

The left records nevertheless some victories with the election of the deputy Jean Pontier with the Tournon-on-Rhone, of Marc Bolomey with the Voulte-sur-Rhône and of Serge Martinez with Borough-Saint-Andéol.

The cantonal elections are also marked by a blue wave. Old strongholds of left rock thus from left to right, it is the case in particular Canton of Villeneuve-of-Berg with Jean-Pierre Gaillard or of the Canton of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc with max Divol . For the line, Pierre Giraud is re-elected on the Canton of Satillieu as well as the mayor of the Pouzin, Alain Martin on the Canton of Chomérac. New personalities from the right make their appearance with in particular Jean-Pierre Constant for the Canton of Aubenas, which beats leaving it Stephan Alaize , the new mayor of Largentière Jean-Roger Durand for the Canton of Largentière, Bernard Perrier the mayor of Ucel makes a success of the succession of Jean-Claude Flory (which cumulated the mandate of mayor of Valley-the-Baths and regional adviser) on the Canton of Valley-the-Baths.

The left sees nevertheless some victories with Denis Duchamp over the Canton of Serrières which rocks on the left where outgoing the Henri Torre, Senator and former president of the general advice did not represent themselves and also on the Canton of Rochemaure which sees arriving a Communist in the person of Robert Cotta , the mayor of Cruas. Of the same Daniel Barral is re-elected with Châteauneuf-with-Vernoux and on the Canton of Vernoux-in-Vivarais, Gerard Bruchet with Meyras and on the Canton of Thueyts.

The election of the president of the general advice is marked by a serial with multiple bounces. Michel Teston is finally re-elected of accuracy thanks to the voices of the " non-inscrits" (small group of general advisers independent carried out in particular by the mayor of Burzet, Gabriel Count and the mayor of Lamastre Jean-Paul Vallon ) where one however attends the “treason” of a former general adviser of right-hand side Jerome Gros , general adviser of the Canton of Saint-Etienne-to-Lugdarès and mayor of Lavillatte, which rejoined the group of the independents at the last time and thus supported the candidature of Teston. The leader of the right-hand side, Jacques Genest , will not forgive him and Jerome Gros will see his very compromised political career. Michel Teston will be especially supported during his presidency by local figures of left in particular Jacques Dondoux and Robert Chapuis .

2001 see finally the departure of some outstanding figures of the local policy such as Henri-Jean Arnaud for the Canton of Saint-P3eray wine, Jean Pontier replaced by Maurice Quinkal for the Canton of the Tournon-on-Rhone, Lucien Auzas with Lavilledieu and with the Canton of Villeneuve-of-Berg, André Monteil with Largentière, Amédée Imbert with Privas, Marie-Helene Reynaud with Davézieux or Jacques Nodin curtly beaten on the Canton of Rochemaure.

The year 2002

The year 2002 is remembered locally by the “blue wave” at the time of the legislative elections. Two of the three districts rock on the right. Stephan Alaize loses her last mandate, that of deputy, vis-a-vis the UMP Jean-Claude Flory , the young mayor of Valley-the-Baths, in the third district. Its substitute is the general adviser of the Canton of Villeneuve-to-Berg, Jean-Pierre Gaillard to note the presence of a dissident of left, Gerard Bruchet , mayor of Meyras. The new mayor UMP of Annonay, Gerard Weber is elected vis-a-vis the Socialist Catherine Rollin , municipal adviser with Guilherand-Barns. Its substitute is the young person associated with the mayor of Guilherand-Barns, Mathieu Darnaud . The Socialist Pascal Terrasse becomes “resisting it”, it preserves his seat of deputy in the first by beating the UMP mayor of Privas, Michel Valla , and had the appearance of a leader of the left ardéchoise.

2002 are also marked by the sudden death of Jacques Dondoux , former Secretary of State, former deputy and mayor of Saint-Agrève and general adviser of the Canton of Saint-Agrève. It was one of the " piliers" " Teston" management; at the general advice (first vice-president). He is replaced at the time of cantonal partial, by Maurice Weiss (of PRG) and by Michel Pierrot with the town hall of Saint-Agrève.

The year 2004

2004 are also marked by important political upheavals. The " rose" vagueness; main road saves the regional elections by the left carried out by Jean-Jack Queyranne. In Ardeche, some politicians of right-hand side remain on " the carreau" such Michel Valla , the mayor of Deprived. The list of left, led by Herve Saulignac , gains 6 of the 9 seats at the district council with the re-election in particular of the Socialist Veronique Louis and the election of the mayor of Arcens, Helene Mira . The line is comforted with the election of Jacques Genest , the mayor of Coucouron and UDF Annie Dang . FN, always weak in Ardeche, preserves its seat in the person of Albert Rosset (character very discussed, in particular for its remarks negationists on the gas chambers).

To the general advice, the vague pink is confirmed on the level of the cantonal elections, Michel Teston is re-elected president of the general advice. Pascal Terrasse provides from now on the function of first vice-president. The two cantons of Annonay remain on the left ( Denis Lacombe and Jean-Claude Tournayre is re-elected), Yves Chastan is re-elected on the Canton of Deprived, just like Roland Veuillens on the Canton of Saint-Martin-of-Valamas like Michel Teston on the Canton of Antraigues-sur-Volane and Bernard Bonin on the Canton of Valgorge all the two elected officials with the first turn. Two new faces of left make their appearance: Olivier Pévérelli makes a success of the succession of Robert Chapuis on the Canton of Fish ponds and Marc Bolomey is elected on the Canton of the Voulte-sur-Rhône.

Three strongholds of right-hand side rock on the left. The Canton of Merry initially with Raoul Herminier which beats leaving it Jacques Guilhaumon , the mayor of Rosières, the Canton of Saint-Pierreville then which sees the victory of the socialist mayor of Beauvène, Pierre Vigné where Michel Valla was not represented; and especially a heavy defeat of the mayor UMP of the Vans and former deputy Red-headed Jean-Marie on the Canton of Vans by the Socialist Jean-Paul Manifacier , beaten on its own commune. Ravaged, he resigns the shortly after his armchair of mayor, thus leaving the place with his assistant, Bruno Vigier .

The line is comforted by the profit of the Canton of Saint-Félicien by his mayor Jean-Paul Chauvin , the re-election with the first turn of the mayor of the Cheylard, Jacques Chabal , on the Canton of Cheylard (which has the appearance of a leader of the right-hand side ardéchoise) and its anchoring on the cantons of the plate ardéchois: Marc Champel on the canton of Canton of Saint-Etienne-to-Lugdarès succeeds Jerome Gros (it is a revenge for the line), transitions successful to the Canton from Montpezat-under-Bauzon with the election from the mayor from Saint-Cirgues-in-Mountain, Eric Lespinasse and the by-election of the Canton of Coucouron where Jacques Genest is obliged to resign due to office plurality of mandates, its first assistant Albert Enjolras , succeeds to him.

For the European elections, marked by a very strong abstention (only 46,09% voters), Ardeche, which belongs to the district " South-Est" voted massively for the list PS carried out by Michel Rocard (31%), follows the list UMP carried out by Francoise Grossetête (14,84%), the list UDF carried out by Thierry Cornillet (12,66%), the list FN carried out by Jean-Marie Le Pen (9,35%). The other lists gave unimportant results. It should be noted that no outstanding political personality ardéchoise arised on these lists.

The year 2005

At the time of the referendum on the European constitution, in May, Ardéchois vote massively for not to 60%, which is more important than the national average:
  • 165.306 voters (73,62% of participation)
  • 160.625 expressed
  • 64.249 for yes (40%) the
  • 96.376 for not (60%) the

The year 2006

The year 2006, however nonelectoral, will hold three important major political facts for Ardeche. Indeed, with the town hall of Deprived, the disagreement between the first magistrate Michel Valla and some of its assistants whose in particular Christian Farjot , will go up and irresistibly (as for Aubenas in 2000), part of the elected officials of the majority resigns with the elected officials of the opposition directed by Yves Chastan . The same case of figure that for Aubenas in 2000 will reproduce, a partial municipal election is organized in March. Division between Christian Farjot and Michel Valla makes elect, well beyond any hope, as of the first turn, the list carried out by Yves Chastan which becomes the new mayor of the city of Deprived. Exceptional fact for the prefecture of the Ardeche, which rocks on the left for the first time of its history since a reign without division of the right-hand side during more than 60 years.

To the general advice then, for a few months Michel Teston had implied that it wished to resign of his position of president of general advice " for reasons personnelles" but also to devote itself of advantage to its mandate of senator. A meeting of the general advice, on April 3rd, elects Pascal Terrasse at the position of president. The youngest child of the assembly, deputy of Ardeche, is thus currently indeed, the new leader of the left ardéchoise and the new strong man of the department. Bernard Bonin , mayor of Valgorge, becomes the 1st vice-president.

With the town hall of Aubenas then, Jeanne Chaussabel , does not wish to prolong its mandate of mayor. Some troubles of health doubtless push it to resign, in favor of its first assistant, the general adviser UMP Jean-Pierre Constant who becomes in July, the new mayor of the second city of Ardeche.

During the summer 2006, finally, Helene Mira resigns of her mandate of regional adviser to the Rhone-Alps area and is replaced by Annonéen Olivier Dussopt .

The year 2007

The year 2007 is marked by two great national elections. For the presidential one, it is Nicolas Sarkozy which carries it in Ardeche with 51,62% of the votes compared with 48,38% for Ségolène Royal .

To note, for the principal agglomerations, certain anchorings who do not correspond really any more to the political labels of the town councilors with, for example, the line of Nicolas Sarkozy who arrives at the head at Aubenas (52,47%), Guilherand-Barns (56,41%), the Tournon-on-Rhone (52,56%), Borough-Saint-Andéol (58,90%), Cheylard (54,36%) and Saint-P3eray wine (58,14%) and a majority for Ségolène Royal in Privas (52,05%, which confirms its anchoring on the left), Annonay (51,66%), Teil (50,83%), Viviers (50,34%) and, more astonishing, in Vans (54,31%).

For the legislative elections, Ardeche overall followed the national tendency with some surprises. The Socialist Pascal Terrasse very largely preserves his mandate of deputy in the first district, vis-a-vis UMP Rachel Cotta with 61,67% of the votes. To note an anchoring on the left this district very marked for the largest cities (60,02% of the votes with Deprived, 64,71% with the Teil, 60,68% with Viviers, 57,24% with Borough-Saint-Andéol, 69,52% with Cruas and more astonishing, 54,12% with the Cheylard and 60,48% with the Pouzin cities however of right-hand side). Its stature of president of the General advice had certainly to play this result.

Idem for the third district, more rural, and on grounds traditionally of right-hand side, where the UMP mayor of Valley-the-Baths, Jean-Claude Flory , is comfortably re-elected with 55,59% of the votes vis-a-vis the socialist Regional adviser Veronique Louis . It arrives at the head in the large majority of the communes in particular at Aubenas (60,24%), Largentière (56,95%), Joyeuse (56,09%), Vans (51,08%), Villeneuve-with-Berg (51,86%) and, of course on its commune of Valley-the-Baths (67,39%). To note in addition, the missed return of the former deputy Stephan Alaize who, with 8,29% of the votes, honourable score nevertheless, does not cross the first turn.

The surprise of this election comes from the second district, that of the North of Ardeche, where the young Socialist and regional adviser Olivier Dussopt beat leaving it UMP and mayor Annonay Gerard Weber to 53,71% of the votes. Defeat all the more cuisante for the mayor of Annonay which is largely beaten on its own commune (64,37% of the voices for Dussopt) and the surrounding communes of the agglomeration of Annonay. It arrives also at the head at Saint-Agrève (57,87%), the Tournon-on-Rhone (50,81%), Davézieux (61,09%) and Lamastre (53,39%). Gerard Wéber does not arrive at the head significantly only at Saint-Péray (53,61%) and Guilherand-Barns (53,83%). To note in this election, very the good performance with the first turn of the mayor of Alboussière and general adviser Jacques Dubay who presented themselves under the label " various droite" and which carries out a honourable score of 16,87% of the voices; also the important score of Dominique Chambon which represented the Modem and which adds up 8,82% of the voices.

This division of the right-hand side to the first turn, certainly, amplified the victory with the second round of Olivier Dussopt , which at 29 years, becomes the young people deputy of France.

In conclusion, one can affirm that the voters ardéchois followed the national tendency: a vote in favor of Nicolas Sarkozy for the presidential election and a re-mobilization of the left voters for the legislative elections where the left resists more than envisaged, and succeed in gaining an additional district where the line makes a success of the " paradoxically; large chelem" in the departments close to the Haute-Loire, Lozere and Drome. To also note the " jeunesse" of the 3 deputies ardéchois: Pascal Terrasse 42 years, Jean-Claude Flory 41 years and Olivier Dussopt 29 years.

Some current politicians of Ardeche

Deputies

Senators

Regional advisers

General advisers

  • See: List of the general advisers of Ardeche

Mayors of the principal agglomerations

See too

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