The 1st constituency of Nice is the heart of the azure capital with Old Nice, the Port, Saint-Roch. The internal disputes within the UMP, particularly regarding the nomination of Eric Ciotti that displeased incumbent deputy Jérôme Rivière who will run again before the voters who elected him in 2002, have been widely mentioned. The nomination of Eric Ciotti also outraged Danielle Lisbona, who was vying for the UMP nomination. Offended “by the dictatorial manner,” she maintains her candidacy, supported by Jérôme Rivière’s substitute, the dean Charles Ehrmann. In a letter that all residents of the constituency will soon receive, he pays tribute to candidate Lisbona, “a woman of conviction”: “She will not disappoint you and when I am no longer among you, it is through her that you will find the same sense of honesty and integrity that have always characterized my life.”
The candidacy:
“I have been in politics for twenty years, twenty years since I’ve joined the RPR. I’ve always been someone from the right. My meeting two years ago with Charles Ehrmann, while I was chairing a women’s commission, was positive. We talked about women’s issues like salaries. One evening he came and offered to train me on one condition: if I were elected deputy, to be on the ground and take care of people. In his eyes, it’s important to be on the ground. People want to see us, meet us, talk to us. This is the policy Charles Ehrmann has pursued for 21 years. He made 12,500 appearances in the Clos de Boules.
One can only be a deputy today if present on the ground, aside from the obligatory two days in Paris. To do this, one should not hold multiple mandates.
I am a simple candidate, with my guts and my heart. So far, four people are handling the campaign. This is my close guard. I am not a proponent of having a “backyard” following me. My style is to be at the forefront, with Mr. Ehrmann, to meet people, with a campaign director and someone to handle my communication. Traveling with many people is not healthy. It brings nothing except disillusionment. People would say: “she isn’t even elected yet, and she’s already full of herself.” That’s not my kind of behavior.
I’m not against anyone. I’m for the 1st constituency. Only Charles Ehrmann and I can save it from the hands of the left and the National Front.
I’m from Nice. I’m from Saint-Roch and I speak Niçois. Generally, when I go to neighborhoods, I express myself only in Niçois. I see people’s eyes light up when I speak in Niçois. They are happy to hear Niçois being spoken. I doubt Eric Ciotti speaks Niçois. Jérôme Rivière speaks English, but that’s not appropriate in the constituency.”
Jérôme Rivière:
“In my view, he did not serve the constituency properly. He was often absent. The residents felt neglected. There was also the issue with Charles Ehrmann, but I don’t want to meddle in personal matters. Jérôme Rivière is a man of quality. I don’t criticize him, unlike what he does. I just say he was too often absent. If you ask people on the street who Jérôme Rivière is, they will tell you they don’t recognize his face. They see him once a year. People don’t want that anymore. In a month, he made four trips of six days each.”
“It’s a dictatorship to decide that Mr. Ciotti is the candidate”
The UMP and the nomination of Eric Ciotti
“I have nothing against Eric Ciotti. He is a quality man, director of the cabinet for Minister Christian Estrosi. What I don’t like are the methods, and I will never endorse them. I applied for the UMP nomination. There were four of us who made the application. I reproach the UMP for the lack of democracy. I told Christian Estrosi it is lamentable that in an arbitrary manner someone can be appointed. The four candidates for the nomination could have defended a project close to our hearts. Then the UMP board would have chosen. All the candidates would have followed the designated candidate. It’s a dictatorship to decide that Mr. Ciotti is the candidate. I do not accept it. We were summoned to the General Council for an interview. I was ready to rally to them to avoid being the grave diggers of the right and prevent the left from winning. We only received contempt. We were told we were pathetic, not worth more than 3%. And what if those famous 3% were missing for Eric Ciotti to stay in the second round… From now on, I have nothing more to say to the UMP. They talk to us about democracy within the UMP, saying everyone has a voice. That’s what Nicolas Sarkozy said. But I can tell you nobody has a voice. We weren’t allowed to speak. I understand Jérôme Rivière’s reaction, the incumbent deputy. Madame Juliana Chichmanian also applied for the nomination. She received the same treatment. It’s called a lack of democracy.”
Nicolas Sarkozy and the presidential elections
“On January 14, when I know who the candidate is, I will tell you who I support. For now, I support no one. The UMP primaries make me laugh. I experienced the same situation in the 1st constituency. Nicolas Sarkozy is looking for extras to clear his conscience and not be elected at 99%. But the extras are not fooled. They do not intend to discredit themselves.”
The 1st constituency: the challenges
“For now, we are five candidates on the right with the National Front, which should not be disregarded. This means that none will be elected. Opposite, there is Patrick Allemand, who almost won in the last legislative elections if Mr. Ehrmann had not been alongside Jérôme Rivière. On the right, there might still be other candidates.”
The 1st constituency: the characteristics
“Here, it’s the Niçois identity. There is a part of workers: Saint-Charles, Saint-Roch. A different part on Mont-Boron. But it is here that the heart of Nice beats since there is the main town hall, Old Nice, the port. It’s very endearing. Speaking Niçois in this heart of Nice is wonderful.”
“A consensus must be found for the port”
The priorities
“My priority is a local police station. It’s a shame that there isn’t one. There is growing insecurity. A police station absolutely must return. Where do the elderly go to file a complaint? They go from one place to another. It’s lamentable. Neighborhood police stations are needed.
I will fight against precariousness. It’s not normal for people with children to sleep in cars. It’s not normal for people to work, earn the minimum wage, and yet be unable to find housing because they need to earn three times the rent. We need to fight against this. Where are the deputies for this? Why aren’t they fighting for this? Money can be found to help these people in difficulty by reducing the state’s lifestyle. There is too much of a gap between the top of the state and the bottom, where people can no longer eat or find housing. It’s getting serious, really serious, and it’s a problem that keeps getting worse. There are elderly people with pensions of €500 a month. They don’t know what it is to go to the cinema. What would these people do without associations and generous donors?
My program is the matter of a working group where all corporations are represented. Ten people are working on it.
The Port
“I wouldn’t use the term expansion of the port but rather modernization. The port will be part of my program. I am currently working on this issue with a port director. It’s the big file of the constituency. We mustn’t offend anyone. We must put ourselves in the shoes of people who bought apartments and find themselves, at their window, with floating buildings. We must also understand the commercial aspect and be in tune with the merchants’ needs. A consensus must be found where everyone benefits. The infrastructures are no longer in phase with the expected needs. I am against moving activities to the airport.”
Acropolis
“I am not very favorable to GL Events managing it. But what can be done? My heart goes out to the employees because some will lose their jobs. It affects me a lot. I would like the people of Nice to express themselves through a referendum. This is what I suggest to Jacques Peyrat.”
The municipal elections
“I have already been approached by two list leaders whose names I cannot reveal, but it is not the UMP. I absolutely do not envision being a list leader. Jacques Peyrat’s record is not at all negative. He has done beautiful things. He is one of the builders, constructing the Tramway. History forgets politicians but not builders. Jacques Peyrat has his chances. People have protested against the tramway. It caused discomfort, troubles for traders. When it will be operational, the positive sides must be seen: less pollution and a plus for the neighborhoods.”
https://daniellelisbona.hautetfort.com/
