Geographical and demographic description

the third district of the Low-Rhine gathers the districts of the north of Strasbourg, as well as the towns of outskirts of the city of Schiltigheim, Bischheim and Hoenheim. It is about a new district creates in 1986 following the reform of the electoral map, having involved the creation of a ninth district in the department.

It is made up of the urban cantons of:

• Canton of Bischheim

• Canton of Schiltigheim
• Canton of Strasbourg V; district of the Robertsau
• Canton of Strasbourg VI; districts of Cronenbourg and Hautepierre

Historically the district of Robertsau is rather Protestant, just like the towns of Bischheim and Schiltigheim. However the periurbanisation of these cities and districts of Robertsau and Cronenbourg, established a clear catholic majority in the whole of the district. The districts of Cronenbourg and the town of Hoenheim are in addition historically catholic.

The proportion of dialectophones remains higher in this district than in the other districts of Strasbourg, a majority of the population, and that in the four cantons which composes it, can use the Alsatian one. The use of the dialect is particularly widespread in the " mediums; populaires" Alsatian, very present in the district. Historically the use of French, rather widespread in the districts of Strasbourg as of the return to France, was essential more gradually on Schiltigheim and Bischheim.

Political description

The third district was creates following the rehandling of the districts organized by the Chirac government in 1986, after the re-establishment of the majority poll. Enough heterogeneous, as well sociologiquement as geographically, it gathers the district rather " bourgeois" of Robertsau, like those more " populaire" of Cronenbourg and Hautepierre, with the communes of outskirts of the city which are Schiltigheim, Bischheim and Hoenheim. The district represents only partially the town of Strasbourg, and the weight of the town of Schiltigheim is in addition determining in the constitution of the district.

In the beginning, this district had been more or less perceived like on the left of the Low-Rhine. It was indeed made up of Schiltigheim, principal town hall of center-left of the department, of Bischheim, whose communist mayor had been beaten only in 1983 by a candidate Christian-Democrat, and Strasbourg VI, canton held until 1985 by the socialist deputy J.Oehler. Robertsau, which had eliminated its socialist general adviser in 1982 with the profit from the gaullist R.Grossmann, and Hoenheim, held by a mayor Christian-Democrat, were located however on the right.

In fact, she elected in 1988 the only socialist deputy of the Low-Rhine, Jean Oehler, established in Strasbourg VI. This one had however gathered only 50,7% of the voices, and did not carry it in Robertsau. In 1993, J.Oehler chooses not to be represented, the fight of succession then opposed three candidates very established in the district, the mayor of Schiltigheim ex-PS and rocardien Alfred Muller, the general adviser of Robertsau Robert Grossmann (RPR) and the mayor of Bischheim André Klein-Mosser (UDF-CDS). The second turn saw to at the head clash Muller and Grossmann, which had preceded of a short head Klein-Mosser and the candidate of the FN (very established in Cronenbourg-Hautepierre). A. Muller easily carried it in spite of a context very unfavorable to the left (53,5%), part of the UDF voters had undoubtedly referred on him. This unquestionable paradox which saw a deputy of left more easily carrying it in 1993, in a context of " bleue" vagueness; , that in 1988, the surprise of the election of 1997 succeeded. At the time of these elections, the big favorite and outgoing deputy A.Muller were eliminated as of the first turn (17,4%), it underwent the competition of an official candidate of the PS which carried out to him also 17% and had weakened it considerably. The second turn opposed the mayor of Hoenheim André Schneider (RPR), very established in the canton of Bischheim and with Robertsau, with the candidate of the FN, Stephan Bourhis, who carried out good scores with Schiltigheim and Bischheim. With the second A.Schneider turn was elected very largely (70%). The third district was thus one of the rare seats gained by the line at the time of the victory of the left of 1997. In 2002 A.Schneider carried it very largely against the former mayor of Strasbourg C.Trautmann, with more than 58% of the voices. It gained in the whole of the cantons, and was the first candidate to carry out this " large chelem".

The district remains very influenced by the local policy issues. If the canton of Strasbourg V remains very directed on the right as well with Robertsau as in Wacken, and the canton of Stasbourg VI rather marked on the left (in particular in Hautepierre), certain candidates succeed in disturbing traditional cleavage left-right-hand side. It was in particular the case of A.Muller, whose orientation on the left fluctuated, and who carried out very important scores in his commune, but was established little in the remainder of the district. This relative non-alignment explains as well its victory of 1993 as its defeat of 1997. In 1993, the four cantons of the district voted for different candidates, Schiltigheim for A.Muller, Bischheim for its Klein-Mosser general adviser, Strasbourg V for R.Grossmann and Strasbourg VI for candidate FN W.Krieger. In the same way in 1997 A.Muller remained at the head in Schiltigheim, A.Schneider arrived at the head at Robertsau and Bischheim, S.Bourhis arriving at the head at Strasbourg VI. In 2002 A.Schneider the absolute majority exceeded in its commune of Hoenheim.

One can however distinguish an electoral geography in the district. The line carries out its best scores in Strasbourg V, is well established in Bischheim and Hoenheim, like in the old man-Cronenbourg. In Schiltigheim part of its electorate without doubts voted for A.Muller in 1993 and 1997, the city remains rather directed besides on the left. This one carries out its best scores with Hautepierre, is well established in Schiltigheim, more slightly in Bischheim, definitely more slightly in Robertsau (the candidate PS was eliminated with the first turn at the time of the last cantonal elections by a candidate close to UDF and the RPR candidate). The FN remains rather strong in the whole of the district, and in particular in certain districts " populaires" like the city of Ill, or the Marsh in Schiltigheim, like Strasbourg VI. J.M Le Pen arrived at the head in the district in 1995 and 2002.

In 1988 the district voted rather clearly for F.Mitterrand (54%). In 1995 J.M Le Pen arrived at the head (25,1%) in front of L.Jospin (21,9%), E.Balladur (21,4%) and J.Chirac (15,4%). With the second J.Chirac turn carried it (52,7%). In 2002 the district again placed J.M Le Pen at the head of the candidates (20,8%), in front of J.Chirac (18%), L.Jospin (16,1%) and F.Bayrou (11%).

The presidential terms and legislative of 2007 did not present great modifications, the district continued however on the right at the time of the expiries of 2007 qu ' in 1995. At the first turn N.Sarkozy arrived at the head with 31,7%, exceeding of more than 13 points the J.Chirac score in 2002, S.Royal placed itself second with 27,4%, score in progression, arriving at the head at Hautepierre, F.Bayrou carried out 21%, a result slightly lower than its regional average, J.M Le Pen did not exceed 10% (9,9%). The fall of this last, generalized in Alsace, benefitted largely in N.Sarkozy, like F.Bayrou. The UMP candidate carried out his best performances in Robertsau, in Bischhheim and Hoenheim, like Cronenbourg. S.Royal realized among its best scores with Hautepierre. Finally F.Bayrou was distinguished in Robertsau, like in Hoenheim, where it preceded S.Royal. To the second turn N.Sarkozy obtained 53,7% of the voices, exceeding the score of J.Chirac in 1995, it carried it largely in Robertsau and Bischheim, with more than 53% with Schiltigheim (city who had decided for L.Jospin in 1995), and in Cronenbourg. S.Royal carried it largely only in Hautepierre.

The legislative elections of June amplified its tendencies, by largely confirming the outgoing deputy UMP A.Schneider. This one progressed of more than 10 points to the first turn, reaching 47,1% and exceeding the absolute majority in Robertsau and Hoenheim. Its socialist adversary reached 20,8%, carrying out its best preformances with Hautepierre. The candidate Modem, little known, exceeded 10%, in particular in Robertsau. The second turn allowed the deputy to find his seat with a score comparable with that of 2002 (57,8%), carrying it with more than 60% in Robertsau and in Bischheim-Hoenheim, it exceeded 55% with Schiltigheim. The Z.Naili socialist candidate carried it easily only in Hautepierre.

The district presents an orientation on the right more marked than at the time of its constitution in 1986. The district of Robertsau continuous to represent a stronghold of the right-hand side, N.Sarkozy carried out there its best score of Strasbourg (62,2%) just as A.Schneider at the time of the legislative elections (63,6%). The communes of Bischheim and Hoenheim remains largely directed on the right, S.Royal having arrived only third at Hoenheim and N.Sarkozy exceeded the 60% there, just as A.Schneider passed very close to the 70% there on June 17th. In Bischheim, N.Sarkozy carried out a score comparable with that of V.Giscard d' Estaing in 1981 (55,8%), A.Schneider carrying out a score comparable with that of 2002 (59%). The town of Schiltigheim, whose population represents half of the district, decided easily for N.Sarkozy (53%) and A.Schneider (55%). Contrary the left remains established well in the canton of Strasbourg VI, S.Royal reached there 56% of the voices and Z.Naili 51%. One however notes a persistent dychotomy between the vote of Cronenbourg, more favorable to the right-hand side, and that of Hautepierre, very strongly marked on the left.

History of the Elections