Nice Premium: Why wasn’t there an alliance with Patrice Miran’s Independent Ecologist Alliance?
André Aschiéri: Without wanting to argue about this topic, I will say only two things: the choice of any potential alliances should be clear, which it is not for the AEI. Moreover, when you present yourself to the voters, you need to know how to respect your commitments. The person leading this list has proven in the past that he does not respect his word or even his signature.
Nice Premium: How do you feel about the departure of Teresa Maffeis? Why do you think she left?
André Aschiéri: Teresa Maffeis is an exemplary human rights activist. I have a lot of admiration for her actions and commitment. A sixth place was offered to her on our list, which is a potentially eligible position. Given her associative commitment, she wanted to be higher on the list, on the condition of withdrawing her candidacy. While I regret it, I respect her decision.
Nice Premium: According to you, what are the strengths of Europe Ecology compared to other represented parties?
André Aschiéri: The failure of Copenhagen is the failure of the planet’s major leaders. Protecting citizens from climate disruption happens through local territories. The Region will play an increasing role in solidarity and collective security. It will help implement the ecological transformation of the economy for better living together in respect of nature. Europe Ecology alone is capable of providing this response to the conjunction of financial, economic, social, ecological, and political crises. Because Europe Ecology carries the synthesis of the democratic, social, and ecological project. Other formations have retained thinking patterns from the 19th century, at best the 20th, which are incomparable to the challenges of the 21st century. As Albert Camus wrote, all generations have had the ambition to remake the world, our generation’s responsibility might be greater still, as we must prevent the world from falling apart.
Europe Ecology is the only one to open so widely to the skills of civil society and to the projects supported by associations. The Greens have managed to give full space to those who come from diverse backgrounds and are engaged, like Greenpeace, the Nicolas Hulot Foundation, Cap21, Regions and Peoples in Solidarity, or individuals like Eva Joly or Laurence Vichnievsky, Philippe Mérieu, Augustin Legrand to rebuild a political project that meets the challenges of our time. I myself do not belong to any political party, yet I was offered to lead the list of Alpes-Maritimes.
Europe Ecology also brings a new vision of governance to allow active forces to participate in the development of public policies (professional organizations, associations, elected officials, experts, technicians), in transparency and by evaluating the social and environmental usefulness of the measures undertaken.
That’s why voting for Europe Ecology is so different, so full of hope.
Nice Premium: How do you plan to meet the citizens’ expectations?
André Aschiéri: Creating 40,000 jobs (10,000 in the Alpes-Maritimes) through the ecological transformation of the economy (new construction methods to save energy and reduce greenhouse gases, for a peasant agriculture and healthy food…)
Accessible, reliable, and regular transport, particularly in the field of TER, under the Region’s competence. With the objective of implementing a single transport ticket for the Region, allowing access to the bus, TER, and train with the same ticket.
Increasing train frequency to every 15 minutes on coastal lines and to every 30 minutes on Cannes-Grasse, Nice-Cannes, and electrifying Nice-Breil.
Nice Premium: What are the weaknesses of your program?
André Aschiéri: The weakness is the territorial reform which threatens to amputate the Region of its general competence and thus prohibit the Region from supporting the actions of municipalities, associations that operate in the fields of culture, sports, education and that make up the richness of our territories. This reform will thus deprive the Region of its financial autonomy, therefore of means of intervention.
Another weakness is that the government has decided to shorten the regional mandate to 4 years. It is very short to accomplish everything we propose; there will be open projects that will not be completed. One feels like the State does not like either local authorities or municipalities. It seems to want to do everything to eliminate the link between local elected officials and citizens. Even when decentralization has proven its effectiveness. It is easy to realize when observing the quality of colleges managed by the departments and high schools managed by the region. This recentralization, which does not say its name, is very serious and constitutes a decline in the quality of public service.
Nice Premium: What score do you hope to achieve at the end of the regional elections in Alpes-Maritimes?
André Aschiéri: Of course, I hope that many citizens will give us their trust. To reverse the course of history, ecologists need to be able to influence the decisions and orientations of regional action. Above 10% would be a success. Approaching 15% would be proof that citizens are ready to change both the behavior of politics and their own behavior in daily life for more sobriety and solidarity.
Nice Premium: Do you plan to form alliances if necessary?
André Aschiéri: Yes. To lead the Region’s action, a majority is needed. We will build this majority with those who believe in social and environmental progress. Our natural partners are those we have worked with over the last 6 years. I don’t see any other.
