The recent rift within the local UMP family ahead of the 2014 municipal election in Saint-Martin-Vésubie is a classic example that well illustrates the negative drift of democracy.
As a reminder: The word “democracy” comes from the Greek words “demos” and “cratos” and means the power of all. Yet, in its most advanced form of application, democracy is accompanied by a representative form (parliamentary or other institutional body such as the commune) through an election by universal suffrage.
In this way, and only if all conditions are met, can we talk about democracy without usurping its meaning.
Why this preamble? Because what happened in Saint-Martin-Vésubie is emblematic of the bad face of democracy which increasingly distances citizens from institutions perceived as power centers run by professionals rather than representations of the common good, the “home of all of us.”
The facts: Gaston Franco, the immovable and well-regarded outgoing mayor of the small Vésubie commune, outgoing European deputy, learned that his right-hand man and first deputy Christian Ayraut would run against him with a list that would have the support of the president of the General Council, Eric Ciotti.
Reaction of the first: How could he do this to me? And from the one to whom I left my place as general counselor to be able to be elected (… a few days later!) president of the departmental community. In exchange, he would have supported me for my re-election to the European Parliament…
Comment from the second: Yes, I have decided so because I see a lack of motivation (sic!) from Gaston Franco.
New reaction from the first: The future opponent is dismissed from his position as first deputy and his delegations are withdrawn.
New comment from the second: I don’t understand Gaston Franco’s actions. A mayor must be in tune with the president of the General Council who has always supported the commune’s requests for project funding.
But where are we? On the moon? Democracy, one said? But what democracy?
Gaston Franco is surprised and reacts because a list will oppose his in the 2014 election: Some questions arise…
First to Gaston Franco: Is it a crime of lese-majesty to present oneself to the voters and ask for their vote to be elected? Is one entitled to the position of Mayor by divine right or by the will of the citizens? Does being a long-standing and well-regarded mayor grant a managerial position? Why dismiss the first deputy, who has nevertheless been praised during this term, simply because he will be his opponent in the next municipal election? Does the election to the European Parliament come from Eric Ciotti’s will and not from the voters’ choice?
Eric Ciotti, for his part, by what right can he decide who is sufficiently motivated or less to be mayor? And on what grounds? Of course, he is the president of the General Council of the Alpes-Maritimes, but do the interventions and funding in this commune, as in others, depend on a general interest or mere will based on whether the elected mayor is to his liking or not? And, is his support for Gaston Franco as a candidate for the European Parliament because he considers him a good choice or because the same “Gaston” accepts or not to give up his mayoral position in this commune coveted by him?
Is the town hall of Saint-Martin-Vésubie a commune of the Republic or a personal fiefdom of one or the other?
What to say? Ubu-esque, grotesque, burlesque? No, simply disheartening.
Of course, we know that public office as an elected official comes with exercising power, and this often has the face of appropriation and usurpation.
But, humanly speaking, one must maintain appearances. And here, frankly, it is brutal like a true medieval duel for a territorial lordship!
And the citizens in all this? And democracy with all its noble principles, the people, the consensus, the vote? Nothing to do with all that in this story and it is to be hoped for an imminent arrival of the ban on the accumulation of mandates to which even a maximum number of two terms should be added.
There is urgency in what Henry Kissinger, the famous American Secretary of State, called “fresh faces”! It concerns the salvation of democracy… the real one!
