The French Academy, at its meeting of Thursday 22 November 2018, proceeded to the election chair by Michel Déon (the armchair n°8). Two serious candidates opposed: Pascal Bruckner and Benoît Duteurtre, author of novels and essays.
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the Result? No elected. In the jargon of the immortals, this is called an «election blank», that is to say that the majority of the 31 academicians present have not opted for any of the candidates. This is the second time that this happens to the armchair of Michel Déon, the previous election having taken place on 21 June. It was obviously a «battle» is tight, in view of the votes obtained during the three rounds. Election all the more contested it is rare to see so many of the immortals present: 31 out of 36 possible.
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Thirteen academicians did not want neither of the one nor of the other
The two candidates have started with a number of votes important (eleven, it authorizes them to represent themselves), but the amazing thing is the number of ballots marked with a cross: 13, in the third round, it’s a lot. Recall that a ballot marked with a cross means that the academicians do not want any of the applicants (for this election, at least).
The armchair of Michel Déon, who died in December 2016, is very coveted, but it is not easy to occupy it. On the 21st of June at the first election, other candidates, and not least, were left empty-handed. Jérôme Clément, Frédéric Mitterrand, Bruno Racine and François Taillandier could not get the votes needed to become immortal. The election is postponed. In addition to the chair, Michel Déon, the other three remain to be filled: Jean d’ormesson, Simone Veil and Max Gallo.
votes received, three rounds of voting, are the following:
Pascal Bruckner: 11, 9, 8
Benoît Duteurtre: 11, 11, 10
blank votes: 1, 0, 0
blank Ballots marked with a cross: 8, 11, 13
