00:00Could a surprise alliance lead to an unexpected result in the Paris mayoral race?
00:05Ahead of the second round of voting next weekend, centrist Pierre-Yves Bournaisel has dropped
00:10out of the race, throwing his support behind the right-wing candidate, Rashida Dati.
00:17I have the pleasure of announcing this evening that we have decided to combine our lists.
00:21Why?
00:22Because the majority of Parisians hope for change and a transfer of power.
00:26According to French media, Bournaisel's condition for joining forces with Dati was the reassurance
00:31that she would not also form an alliance with Sarah Knafo of the hard-right Reconquest Party.
00:38For her part, Knafo posted on social media this Monday, offering her support to Dati for the
00:43second round.
00:47I am saying directly to Rashida Dati, Madam, this is an important moment.
00:52The fight is going to be close.
00:55There remains only one way to beat the left, joining together all our forces.
01:03After falling behind the left in the first round of voting, Dati had herself called for
01:08unity on the right, going into the second round.
01:11Speaking before her alliance with Bournaisel was announced, left-wing candidate Emmanuel Grégoire
01:16criticized the idea.
01:19I think the alliance between Pierre-Yves Bournaisel and Rashida Dati makes no sense, given the
01:24level of invective and confrontation that they themselves have orchestrated.
01:28I believe it's all just clowning around if, in the end, it only results in petty backroom
01:32deals.
01:35Gregoire was comfortably ahead in the first round.
01:38And on Monday, the left-wing candidate reaffirmed he won't be forming an alliance with the
01:43candidate from the far-left unbowed party, Sophia Shikiru, meaning there will be two left-wing
01:48candidates on the ballot next weekend, potentially dividing the vote.
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