Christian Estrosi, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region and president of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, extended his best wishes to municipal and metropolitan seniors and retirees.
It was to the song “We are the Champions” by Queen that the Mayor of Nice took the stage at the Muses Hall in the heart of the Palais Acropolis. Like a rockstar, he took his place at the podium to the ovation of some 2,000 people present for the occasion.
An audience energized by the opening speech of Jean-Michel Galy (municipal councilor dedicated to senior citizenship and vice-president of Nice’s CCAS), perfect in his role as a warm-up speaker.
Facing a crowd already largely supportive of his cause, Christian Estrosi began his speech by recalling the critical role of seniors in society. He particularly emphasized their importance in the education of future generations, referring to the events that affected the Ariane district last Friday. (Editor’s note: a 13-year-old teenager, armed with a pellet gun, shot at two young girls in a schoolyard.)
The speech then turned into a true tribute to the seniors. For their “courage in times of war” but also for their “incomparable resilience at work,” Christian Estrosi did not hesitate to speak of a “generation that has given the most to France.”
“Seniors are the first to be sacrificed“
Despite their many merits, the Les Républicains deputy bitterly regretted that seniors are always “the first to be sacrificed” during government budget cuts.
He thus committed to “restoring purchasing power to the elderly, where the government takes it away from them.”
A commitment he illustrated by presenting the different initiatives the metropolis is implementing to improve and energize the lives of seniors. In addition to the already well-known Senior Plus Card and Senior Pass among the people of Nice, Christian Estrosi also announced the events planned for 2016.
Regular or special activities, cultural or sports-related… the choice is ample, which is not surprising. Nice being the city in France with the longest life expectancy, it is evident that Christian Estrosi has every interest in pampering his seniors.
If he has reached where he is today, it is also thanks to them. He knows it and rewards them well.
by Jordan Perronneau
Photo credit: christian-estrosi.com
