A majority who finished its disunited term
At the Territorial Council of January 19, René-Jean Duret welcomed the observation that, despite some disagreements among the elected members of the majority during the term, "there [had] been no resignation of elected members in [their] group of seventeen members, since [their] election in 2012”. And to highlight: “the stability of the group of the majority is a first in the history of our Collectivité.” If, indeed, this “stability” is a “first”, it remains true that the RRR majority ends its disunited term. The first division had appeared in 2014, a little over a year after Aline Hanson took over the reins, when the Territorial Adviser Alain Gros-Desormeaux was a candidate for the senatorial elections opposite Guillaume Arnell who, for several months, was announced as the nominee of the majority for this term. The candidacy of Alain Gros-Desormeaux had revealed a split within the majority as he was running without a political party unlike Guillaume Arnell (RDSE-left) or René-Jean Duret. The latter had indeed justified his candidacy by his political position after obtaining the investiture of the UDI (Union of Democrats and Independents/Center). In the first round, Alain Gros-Desormeaux and Guillaume Arnell had each obtained seven votes and in the end, the First Vice-President had won with only three votes ahead of them. Since then, relations were strained within the majority even though it refused to admit it and wanted above all to keep up appearances.
In January, during the ceremony of the vows, Aline Hanson had already taken note of it by speaking of “her” majority. She repeated her remarks a few weeks later during the debate on the budget guidelines. “My majority,” she said. On two occasions. Implied the elected group of RRR who continued to support her. Group to which she refers in her press release announcing her candidacy and sent on Tuesday, February 21 in the early evening. “The men and women of experience and commitment who accompany me”, she says. Those who, like her, are “convinced of the need to pursue what [they have] started and to go even further”. Those who have “decided to defend [their] assessment, to continue [their] commitment in the continuity of the achievements and progress made since 2013”. However, the President does not specify who are “these men and women of commitment”.
Certainly her majority is reduced by four elected members: Jeanne Vanterpool, Alain Gros-Desormeaux, Ramona Connor and Antero Santos Paulino who separated from their President several weeks ago. The first having decided to play as a single rider by raising her own list (New Direction), the other three having joined their leader, Alain Richardson who presents a new list (Towards progress). Uncertainties remain on the decision of other RRR members, like Wendel Cocks. Some say he could join forces with Jeanne Vanterpool (they were in the same division of economic development) others say that he would follow the President. The elected member is expected to announce his choice this week. If, in the end, the majority did not record any resignation, it does however end disunited. As a reminder, one of the three RRR meant assembly, nevertheless three new lists originated from it.
