republique-5 3

Hello ! welcome to the country of President Loubet and Human Rights.

Republic-5, Chapter 2  (2/2)

Basseville-on-Earth is recovering slowly from the disaster that claimed the lives of so many of its inhabitants, including six advisers, and other brave people who simply wanted to spend some time on the day of inauguration. And now a new crisis is looming.
Sportsmanship accomplished, he read in the press yesterday, January 9, 1994, the description of the hall, its benefits, such as lighting zenithal, which make it the most modern equipment of the department. He gave appointment on the spot to his friend and partner: he is probably already arrived. But he was unable to close his office as he would have liked! Even if you try to limit the time spent for each patient, a consultation that last longer than expected, it happens!
He has already driven twenty-five kilometres on the twenty-five and a half he had to drive. And now a truck before him obliges him to slow down. He must slow down even harder and arrives near the anti-recess bar. His pulse rate goes up a little. But will this damn truck turn and let the way free, yes or no ... No? And now he takes the path ... to the multipurpose hall! So that's an attic! And the truck continues its slow progress towards the hall. He stops at only some metres from the facade.
After he has stopped his car, he must now walk on the grass. The truck occupies the full width of the path and on the sides, metal bars exceed the trailer. Therefore he must walk on the grass, a good distance from the path. His friend saw him and calls. He is slowly being drawn by heedlessness, he starts walking toward the hall, but also toward the "work of solidarity with the suffering people of Africa! "He throws his racket into the air and catches it up with a surprising dexterity. "Yes, I come! And since those fatheads of Basseville-on-Earth inhabitants offer us a tennis hall like this ... "He does not finish his sentence. He will not play this last part. The soil was stolen under his feet. His pulse of sports stopped. This is the Parawi under Earth.



Republic-5, Chapter 3


The year 1994 continues to unfold without being marked by any event that should be reported. Only routine, each of which is equal to itself.
Like all facilities that may endanger public safety, and God knows if it is the case with "the work of solidarity with the people suffering in Africa", must undergo an annual inspection. It is clear in the minds of everyone that this is unconnected with the event on January 10 last, from which so to speak nobody spoke except a short article under the heading of miscellaneous facts.
This is the Cabinet "Mathurin Security Consultants" that most municipal chose. For this first test, following his visit today, 15 September 1994, Mr. Mathurin submit a report requiring no intervention. Everything works, both mechanical electronics, including the lawnmower on-board electronics. If the road-mender fell into the work, but there is no precedent for this type of accident in France, the mayor should not have trouble.
Fall passes, then the winter.
What concerns Nature, the growth of grass and stopped and the lawnmower has remained inactive a few months. With the spring, this changes. All week, swards vicinity of the hall are carefully shorn. The month of May was warm and wet enough.
The road-mender was at work very regularly to maintain the famous grass at a height compatible with that of the artificial grass that covers the work.

What concerns politics, nobody really prepares new municipal election approaching, however. That is almost three years since the contracts were signed and neither in Basseville-on-Earth, nor at the prefecture, or elsewhere, nobody has really raised an objection about how everything was conducted in 1992 and after. Now we're good, say guilty elected. Oh! of course, we have wasted a lot of supporters in and because of the accident ... but mainly because of the hall and these torrential infiltrations that forced to interrupt more than the banquet for the inauguration, including the last Eve. Of course, elections are not won in advance and it is not possible to repeat the stroke of the ballot box! But their new Pifon looks ready for negotiation and the former was heard more than once to complain of a lack of flexibility of the newcomers Dutoit and Lepape have found to put on the list. These newcomers, sometimes Pifon went to look at them as a token of goodwill towards Dutoit. Then he was able to form an opinion on what to expect from them or what may happen now! We have to consider all this, meditates Boutel! Could he rally Pifon to his list, this would be brilliant!

But we don’t mind about all this today. Today, Anquetot, Mathurin and the whole group reserved the hall to make a Nuba and there should be once again more than two hundred guests.
Despite the restrictions of veterinary services in building permits on the number of participants to banquets, we held more than one, and each time for more than six times the eighty persons authorized, and we used the kitchen of the big room for any prepare and to make all the dishes ... It would be good to inform the public that they can not make meals for more than eighty people, and yet, no more than twice a month in this hall whose construction has bled white the finances of the town and that so many people called for honour wines of November eleventh, banquets associations and marriages. In fact, all or almost all associations gave their banquets for at least three hundred people each time. It even went farther on several occasions, including once up to five hundred and fifty people, for the School Fund! So, no more than eighty!
Ah! Really, the public markets, banquets, all along the line, we made what we wanted. And now, more than four months to wait before the prescription: we will celebrate this! You can check yourself : the prescription of offences is three years and September, 25th 1992 plus three years, it's September, 25th 1995, ie almost tomorrow! It comes to nobody’s mind hat the rules of prescription could include some subtleties that might escape them!

But the official reason of the Nuba, is something else, we must also sprinkle, Boutel has insisted, and it is why he has come: the departure of the beautiful lady, who retires. The surprise is great because it was thought that she would still make use even ten or twenty years:
-- She does not seem to be this age!
-- It is a shame because this will certainly not be easy to find another like that!
The tables were arranged in ear and took a good half of the room. On them, no tablecloths, even if we could have made an effort for the beautiful lady: this is not a wedding, this is a Nuba. But we'll catch up later with drinking and music. Here against, everything is planned, the sound system is installed in another part of the room and it was extensively tested in the afternoon.
The first ravers enter, the room fills. And others still arrive. The music starts. We will do everything at the same time, dancing, eating, drinking, and when the tables are cleared of dishes and bodies, ie, empty bottles, we will dance on them. That's why it was better not to put slicks:
-- A matter of security, "Mathurin says,
-- And it blocks less than the cast rubber ground, "says Clementine.

The Nuba organized by the group Anquetot to celebrate both the retirement of the beautiful lady and the coming prescription of the crimes committed at the public market of the hall caused a stir in Basseville. Some applaud. For others, however, the discontent is rising:
-- These guys are too cheeky!
It was not sure that Boutel would be elected this time. He would do well to be cautious for a long time, his election as an advisor is not certain at all and the deaths of the inauguration are still in people's minds. Not everyone attributes it to the step of luck!
The television, radio, newspapers are relaying the national campaign for the municipal elections, but here it is just beginning. It must be said that in each camp, especially that of Dutoit, spy on the opponent.
The Boutel team starts therefore the first. It is true that at least, it has a complete list at present: all outgoing arise and the newcomers are a municipal employee (which makes seven on the list) and appointed Archibald Mathurin, that any on-Basseville Earth has long known, and two youths who have arrived recently in the municipality: Charline Brack and Edwin Blanc.

The program of Boutel is no surprise: it will be employment and social issues. The speech always work even if a curiosity after all very limited would note that, where Basseville-on-Earth has budgeted more than three million francs for this room primarily devoted to tennis, the same city budget gave royally two thousand francs to the communal centre of social action for this year. And we must see that these two thousand francs were used to finance the galette of the kings of the White Hairs Club. What counts is that the speech is convincing, all the more when Boutel adds a small tear that always come with so much relevance!
It is also necessary to innovate and this is why the proposals are not lacking, such as the creation of a shopping mall in front of the hall.
What Dutoit concerns, the campaign theme is found, there was only stoop to pick it up! The first topic is the catastrophic management of the municipality, infiltrations in the multipurpose hall for which nobody has been able to make any solution.
They speak also of the excessive expenditures, investments and this stupid work that kills without anyone intervening to protect the population! The first task of the team, if it has the majority, this will be to clog the pit! And no question of supporting this draft mall: Basseville-on-Earth still has some merchants, this is not the role of the municipality that to create competition. If they want to change location, they are able to make the decision themselves. Well sure, if they need help, and if they ask, we can see to intervene. But no question of interfering in this area here.

The statement of belief of the new team Dutoit is written with conviction. Critics of how Boutel used his mandate should hurt the opponents. There is still a weakness in Dutoit’s team: it failed to submit a complete list because only nine new entrants join them. Nonetheless, we can explain we wanted to leave two lines to encourage voters to find names themselves!
The two lists of candidates emerging gradually from their reserve and the main venue for the exchange of ideas is the coffee. From there, news spread quickly to the remotest villages and the campaign for the municipal elections is no exception. The spirits are quite warmed up this time and a few outbursts are to be deplored, the less one whose second Pifon was the victim. Working hard to make his hay, he had put his jacket on the fence of the field. When he came back, he found it had changed side.
And not him made the new spread: the two who made the blow even laughed, thinking back to the face Pifon made, even if he has quickly overcome the affront. His reputation was made before and this did not hit him!

The day of the first round finally arrives. The hall was prepared as usual for the ballot. There enough volunteers to keep the ballot station and they spent the day without notable event.
The two lists have made the same calculation: there are 842 enrolled in Basseville-on-Earth and to be elected at the first round, one must collect at least half of the votes. The day passes slowly, off-peak hours are the most numerous.
The voting operations are completed, we must now turn to stripping. Some fusspots who are neither elected nor candidates ask them to proceed in such and such a way: they are finally ejected. The ballot box, which has remained uninterruptedly in the hall, was opened and returned; envelopes and ballot papers are spread on the table. They are then distributed in as many piles as there are counting tables. Operations can begin. At each table, the envelopes are opened and emptied one by one and then the names on each ballot paper is read; four or five volunteers begin to search every name on the sheet he received and for which he is responsible, and a stick is drawn beside the name that has been shouted. So the sheet fills up slowly.


From time to time, the volunteers check with others that there is no difference! Boutel knows the music by heart, and the more time passes, the more he realizes that it is really bad for him.
Christophe has just arrived at the city hall. He spent the day at the seaside and the result of the ballot does not passionate him. He was on Dutoit’s list but Boutel knows he was ready to stand on its list. So, everyone says hello to the other. And Boutel adds immediately:
-- I am beaten, but you're elected. Promise me that you will vote for me at the city council!
Christophe does not believe that Boutel is beaten, he did not believe more in his election, he even wondered what it would do of it, but one thing is sure, it promises nothing to Boutel. He knows that the succession would be subject to inventory!
Finally, the results are proclaimed.
-- There are 762 votes cast: to be elected, it is necessary to obtain at least 382 votes. The candidates elected in the first round are:
Potteur Christophe: 522 votes, Lepape Philippe: 521 votes, Jean-Sébastien Billard: 518 votes, Deval Michel: 515 votes, Dutoit Pierre: 460 votes, Pifon Lucien: 425 votes ... It therefore remains nine seats to be filled in the second round. All alumni of Dutoit’s list are elected in the first round and Christophe Potteur, 24 years and Jean-Sébastien Billiards, the same age.

For their first election, Jean-Christophe and Sébastien more than honourable scores! No elected on Boutel’s list, especially Boutel himself is not sure at all to be elected. This idea still not comes to anybody’s mind to the prefecture. The situation is quite unique: the list of the opposition worked very well and Boutel experienced a defeat like never before! The disavowal it undergoes is scathing. The Nuba is well and truly forgotten, it is necessary to avoid a catastrophe which would deliver the town hall and its files to the enemies! The team that still represents the majority prepares its weapons and the days are numbered to avoid the debacle.
All volunteers are accepted to convince falterings, go door to door. All the arguments are reviewed to get some more votes.
At Dutoit’s team, with six elected from the first round, the victory is unprecedented and unexpected. He has boosted the already-elected, the always-candidates and supporters. It turns to euphoria but the celebration must remain moderate until the pending confirmation. Usually, the second round is indeed sensible confirm the first. And then there is still to work, it's too early to hang up! It is an absolute necessity to find the two candidates who fail to submit a list of nine candidates in the second round because we have seen that on several ballot papers, people have completed the two bottom lines with names of the opposing list!

Denis Auvert, just forty years old, is not hostile and he would probably come if we insist a little more than for the first round. When contacted, he comes right away, enthusiastic and he is incorporated immediately in the meeting with the thirteen others. And it was he who suggested the name of Marion Dulac: she is just twenty-two years, he speaks from time to time with her and he knows she quite shares their ideas, but as she is not home tonight, we will contact her tomorrow. For now, we begin to prepare ballots and write the statement of belief for the second round because it takes time to print and, later, they still will have to prepare envelopes with the electoral list of the city hall and post them. All this must be completed four days before the election, which takes place on the twenty-five.

As they had anticipated, Marion has joined the list Dutoit and therefore two lists of nine candidates each offer the choice to voters this twenty-five in June 1995. The day of voting takes place without more problems than the first round. The time of counting arrives, with the same operations for opening envelopes, counting ballots. The results will be announced soon. The team Dutoit, deserves congratulations, from its supporters at least! Both last minute candidates, Marion Dulac and Denis Auvert are elected. Boutel is finally defeated and this is a second victory! On his list, Julien Lardoise is elected with 420 votes, Clementine Fachaud with 405, Charline Brack with 384, Edwin Blanc with about 378, and Séverine Boutant 330 the surprise comes from Anquetot and even Mathurin respectively 310 and 305.
The municipal employees are all deferred, however, none is elected. But the biggest surprise is Boutel, which is finally beaten. What will say the prefecture?
Christophe Potteur, elected in the first round, prepared a pot at home. With Philippe Lepape, Lucien Pifon, Pierre Dutoit, Michel Deval, Denis Auvert, Marion Dulac and Jean-Sébastien Billard, he took leave of those who have campaigned for them, or at least who have expressed their support. Then, all leave the city hall, with their spouses who have joined, they go by car and travel at Christophe. Today, the weather is still hot as the day of the first round but now the weather gets much cooler and rain threats.

The Potteur courtyard is barely wide enough to contain the cars of newly elected officials and their seven unhappy team-mates, who welcomed the good results and not regret anything, but then absolutely nothing! Of course the most ardent of their supporters have also been invited and they are many.
We must talk about serious things. It is an absolute majority, but only just enough that means that if only one joins the minority they will then become the minority! But if someone of the other camp joins ours, then the situation will already be more comfortable for us! The day is not yet fixed for the election of mayor and promayor, but since we are all together tonight, we should decide who we propose to these posts. Candidates are not very difficult to find: the mayor, this will Pifon Lucien, somewhat in tribute to Marcel, the first promayor will be Pierre Dutoit and the second: Philippe Lepape. This important case treated, we celebrate the defeat of Boutel: Ah! rid of this one! Even if it can continue to operate from afar, through those of his list!
The meeting continues until late, the conversation is animated, cuts are emptying as fast they are filled and, surprisingly, they are filled as quickly as emptied. The last will leave very much after midnight!

For the first time, the new municipal team is gathered. The public is quite numerous. Today June 30, 1995, almost a week after the second round, it is time for the two teams to know each other, to learn to work together and there, it gets stuck a bit even if the formerly Boutel team accounts two persons, Charline Brack and Edwin Blanc , to whom the local rivalries are still a little strange: they arrived last year in the town. Archibald Mathurin him, against, is very know in Basseville but not so well considered and, if he still had doubts, he could state his score: forty-six years, he is authoritarian and pretentious. If he has been elected, it is only because, as Anquetot, he has been able to campaign on employment and his significant participation in public finances, because he pays professional tax here, which would change the if he moved, as he is entirely free to do! It is clear ...
Now, we must elect the mayor and promayors.
But first, it is necessary to appoint a secretary of the meeting. It will be the youngest as is the custom. And the youngest is Edwin Blanc.
-- Are there any candidates for the post of mayor? Pifon launches, the dean.
-- Mé! exclaims the same Lucien Pifon, without delay.
-- And me, "says Andrew Anquetot.
No one is surprised to see these two candidates to run in!

The vote takes place by secret ballot, as provided for in the Code of Commons. The beret of Pifon is used to collect approximately fifteen small papers folded into four, eight or sixteen, on which a name (perhaps) has been written.
The beret is then returned and the fifteen small papers spread on the table. Edwin unfolds them:
-- Pifon ... Pifon ... Pifon ... Lucien Pifon ... Pifon ... Lucien Pifon ... Pifon ... Pifon ... Lucien Pifon ... Pifon ... Lucien Pifon ... Lucien Pifon ... Pifon ... Lucien Pifon ... ... Lucien Pifon!
Pifon is declared elected by 15 votes!
A big smile lights up eight faces.
Except for one, these are not those that the seven remaining members of the team Dutoit had planned. The defection they feared without really believing it has already taken place. Indeed, they should have been more cautious ... Why did we accept this Pifon we did not know? Of course, we thought that through Lucien we would find Marcel alive, and Marcel would never have done this! And we discovered Lucien Just after the accident, we were under the shock, we had lost three among our team of six! This Pifon is perhaps more clever than the previous one, but he is also much more tricky! Why has he done this? What does it give him? It is as though Boutel had yet managed to take over the town hall, although this time he did not need to steal the ballot box! It must be said that we were suspicious and would have reacted!

-- We turn now to elect the first promayor. Are there any candidates? asks the new mayor.
Clementine is recovering on his chair:
-- I am a candidate.
Dutoit, with the authority conferred on him by his age, says:
-- With us, nobody.
The beret of Pifon once again makes the around of the table. Fifteen small papers very similar to the first land on the table. Edwin resumes operation just now:
-- Clementine ... Bulletin Blanc ... Bulletin Blanc ... Clementine Fachaud ... Bulletin Blanc ... Clementine ... Bulletin Blanc ... Bulletin Blanc ... Clementine ... Clementine Fachaud ... Bulletin Blanc ... Clementine Fachaud ... Clementine ... Bulletin Blanc ... ... Clementine Fachaud
Clementine Fachaud elected first promayor at the first round by eight yes and seven whites.
The smile on the eight faces is a little back, a certain excitement took place.
The election of the second promayor takes place without further surprise.
Julien Lardoise, twenty-eight years, is elected by eight votes against seven whites.
We still need to vote for the various committees and unions.
-- We reject any involvement. You do all the work, Dutoit launches, the face closed.

Clementine Fachaud protests:
-- How can you pretend this! Do you really imagine that you will not work!
This time, there are only seven smiles, but they are quite bright.
-- I will inform the prefecture to know how I can force you to work!
Those who want vote for the commissions and appointments to form unions. Only members of the "new new" majority are candidates.
Dutoit turns first to Clementine Fachaud and then Pifon:
-- No, we do not want to work with you, Madam first promayor. And you, Mr. Mayor, please put on the agenda of the next meeting the election of a committee of the multipurpose hall, the choice of a lawyer to whom we ask to initiate proceedings on defects of the hall and the launching of a judicial expertise for these defects.
The two interlocutors of Dutoit start of a great laugh: this poor Dutoit did not realize what is happening to him ... HE IS NO LONGER THE MAJORITY!
-- If you demand so, I will put your question on the agenda.
-- You do well, Mr. Mayor, because otherwise, we will take the administrative court for abuse of power! You have a choice.
Clementine, who look with disdain at Dutoit, goes to another topic:
-- I propose that the council places the mandate which begins today under a sign of solidarity. For this, I suggest that the time for meetings is also time for the poorest in Basseville-on-Earth. Moreover, only with social action can we prevent crime. I therefore propose that in the view of rehabilitation and prevention, the duration of meetings is also used to cook food.

Jean-Sébastien Billard, which begins to regain his senses, interrupts:
-- That's the chicken pot of Henri IV or I dream!
Clementine Fachaud ignores and continues on his idea:
-- For this, we will be installing a sink right next to the door, right when you enter, and a cook a little further, by mean that a stream of air is not blowing gas. Of course, we must will bring water to the sink and gas to the stove.
The team Dutoit has found its voice:
-- But this is ridiculous, this frump is batty!
Clementine persists:
-- We also require a pan, not too big so that I can bring myself without hurting me the wrist when it is full of water. And then, we must also vote on a budget for matches, salt and the food we cook.
Pifon definitely takes his new position very seriously:
-- Well, we need only to vote, it is not that complicated!
Of course, the proposal is accepted, eight yes, seven no.
Pifon, elated, launches:
-- It is twenty hours, the meeting is over.
The opposition leaves the room under the contemptuous "see you next time! " of Pifon and those who are now with him.
The composition of the new council, in the order of the table, is as follows:
Pifon Lucien: mayor, Fachaud Clementine: first promayou, Lardoise Julien: Second promayor, Potteur Christophe, Lepape Philippe, Billard Jean-Sébastien, Deval Michel, Dutoit Pierre, Auvert Denis, Dulac Marion, Brack Charline, Blanc Edwin, Boutant Séverine, Anquetot Andrew, Mathurin Archibald.