Anne Karine Fleming risks dismissal by the Republicans
Anne Karine Fleming, the daughter of Louis-Constant Fleming, could be suspended from her position as treasurer of the Les Républicains Federation (LR) of Saint-Martin, before being dismissed if she continues to run in the legislative elections. The party has nominated Claire Javois, the candidate chosen by the president of the local federation, Daniel Gibbs.
"There are rules and principles that must be respected within a party," considered Daniel Gibbs, who will send information to the party if Anne Karine Fleming files her candidacy between now and Friday at the prefecture, as she announced she planned to do in a press release on Monday, and if her candidacy is approved by the prefecture. If those two conditions are fulfilled, the party should suspend her from her duties, or even dismiss her. The decision will be made at the national and not at the local level.
"We are in a democratic world. Everyone has the right to run in an election. I respect that desire, but there are rules, and those rules are the same for everyone. You are in or out," commented Daniel Gibbs, who was the first candidate to be backed by the LR in view of the legislative elections this coming June. "But it was stated that if I won the territorial elections in March, I would give my nomination," he specified. And he gave that nomination to Claire Javois, who had joined the UMP in 2007 when she appeared on Louis-Constant Fleming’s list for the local elections. "Joining the UMP was a condition for appearing on the list," she confided. Then in 2012, she did not renew her membership. She took up a new membership in late 2016, after the right and center primaries.
It was also after that primary, less than four hours after the victory of François Fillon, that Anne Karine Fleming announced her candidacy, although as a substitute, for Christophe Beaupère (LR in Saint-Barth). Their duo then created some turmoil within the local federations of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy. Several weeks later, they stated they would rather wait for the results of the territorial elections to continue their candidacy. But in early February, Christophe Beaupère chose to withdraw himself, "leaving space" for Anne Karine Fleming, who nevertheless did not comment. She remained silent until Monday, the day that she officially announced her candidacy. She bases it on her political experience, specifically her role within the local Republicans. But according to the president, she never mentioned her desire to be a candidate to him.
