Did the 140,000 participants in the consultation on leaving the Grand Est give enough weight to the president of the Collectivity of Alsace? In 2013, more Alsatians had voted “against” the merger of Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin to found a single community that Frédéric Bierry wants to relaunch.
Frédéric Bierry postponed the meeting of his assembly for the occasion. Monday February 21, in Colmar, the president of the Collectivity of Alsace must announce in majesty the result of the consultation on the exit of Alsace from the Great East. The result leaves little doubt: a plebiscite for the exit of the Grand Est Region is expected. But the participation is already known. The Collectivity of Alsace (CeA) announces more than 140,000 voters. Is it a lot or a little for Alsace, which has 1.8 million inhabitants?
This is two and a half times more than the consultation on a more innocuous subject, the choice of the logo to be affixed to the license plates, organized by the same CeA at the end of 2020 (58,000 voters). It is also beyond the objective that Frédéric Bierry had set himself at the end of December, namely 100,000 voters.
But it is well below the 2013 referendum which (already) proposed the merger of Haut-Rhin and Bas-Rhin in order to found a “single community of Alsace” with the skills of a Region and a Department. merged. The community that Frédéric Bierry wishes to create today. On Sunday, April 7, 2013, 457,685 Alsatians had traveled (35.96% participation) and 187,623 had slipped a “no” ballot into the ballot box. That’s more than all the people who responded to the CeA form against the Grand Est…
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In this regard, participation in the consultation can be considered disappointing and hardly representative. Because it was precisely abstention that had weighed down the 2013 referendum… Despite a majority of “yes”, it was necessary to reach 25% of registered voters, which was not the case either in the Haut-Rhin or in the Bas -Rhine. The majority of Haut-Rhin voters had even rejected the proposal.
A vote over two months to counter abstention
Rather than a physical and solemn vote in polling stations on a Sunday, Frédéric Bierry chose to make the consultation last for nearly two months, accompanying it with an unprecedented promotional campaign for the community. The amount of the cost of this consultation has not been disclosed, but a question on this subject is planned during the departmental assembly. The campaign before the creation of the CeA had cost 120,000 euros. With communication operations even on bread sticks, leaflets left at the vaccinodrome and the flooding of social networks, we can expect a more expensive operation. Frédéric Bierry had also brought together at the Hôtel de la CeA what he calls “Alsatian influencers” so that they get involved in calling for a vote.
“Democratic breathing is no longer done at the ballot box,” he said when the operation was launched. He saw his approach as a “modern tool,” as a response to the historic abstention during the regional and departmental elections of June 2021.
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Photo JFG / Rue89 Strasbourg / cc)–
Thus being able to vote at any time, online, by QR code, by post or in ballot boxes placed on the premises of the CeA should be simpler than going to a fixed date. A demonstration of the “democratic laboratory” that he wants to instil in Alsace. With the consultations, the elected representative of Schirmeck says he is inspired by the “Swiss votes”, except that his process does not have the same rigor at all.
In the absence of an electoral register and control of the identity of voters, specialists in local democracy have also criticized the non-representativeness of the process. By filling in fancy names or addresses, it was possible to vote multiple times. Same online, changing address. In addition, the electorate was larger than in 2013 since even non-Alsatians could vote, it was enough to declare “to have a connection” with Alsace, another unverifiable criterion. This box targeted communities of Alsatians who no longer live in the region, but who are still unhappy with the Grand Est…
2013/2022: the same objective but two differences
In 2022, Frédéric Bierry’s objective is similar to that of 2013, but the operation presents two major contextual differences. First, a positive result in the 2013 referendum would have truly resulted in the creation of a single community. Which is much less certain for the “consultation” of the CeA, which has no legal value. Its goal is to put pressure on candidates and future deputies for five years so that they pass a law to this effect. From this point of view, it is understandable that the consultation is less motivating for the voter than a vote in 2013.
People who disagree, in substance or form, with the objective of the consultation have chosen not to participate, so as not to give more weight to this political communication operation. Even the Alsatian right, in charge of the Grand Est Region, is not ready to reopen this site. It was however the wish of the mayor of Colmar, Éric Straumann, who wanted the federations of 67 and 68 of “Les Républicains” to position themselves on the question. In vain. Its representatives ignored the subject, like most political parties.
However, and this is another major difference with 2013, the CeA could have benefited from a rejection of the Grand Est Region, after a reform that many feel sloppy. Since 2015 after a merger of Alsace with Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne, many elected officials have spoken out against this “super-region”, in turn described as too big, too expensive, etc. Many organizations (associations, unions, companies, sports leagues) have had to reorganize on the perimeter of the Grand Est, which is far from natural. It is clear that despite the forums, the very critical books and the campaigns, this great region is not so hated in Alsace.
Frédéric Bierry is planning two more consultations. One on the HGV tax in Alsace, a subject which this time is solely the responsibility of its CeA. He also mentioned the destocking of toxic waste from Stocamine where, again, the CeA is not the decision maker. By rushing to reject the Grand Est before the presidential election, for a result that is not completely convincing, Frédéric Bierry may have weakened a democratic means that he wanted to promote. And therefore to demobilize the Alsatians even more for the next consultations.
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