The Alpes-Maritimes department has had a brand new President since Thursday. It is Eric Ciotti, elected as the head of the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes by the departmental Assembly with 38 votes out of 45 cast.
On Thursday morning, there was a palpable sense of emotion during the transfer of power between the two departmental figures, Christian Estrosi, who resigned from his position as President on Sunday night due to holding multiple offices, making way for Eric Ciotti who was freshly elected with a historic score in the canton of St-Martin-de-Vésubie. The first deputy mayor of the city of Nice thus becomes the number one in the department after starting there in 2003 as chief of staff.
That very afternoon, Eric Ciotti submitted his resignation from his position as first deputy, also losing his place as vice-president of the Nice-Côte d’Azur agglomeration community. As anticipated for several weeks, Benoît Kandel, the deputy for security, who had been present at all events alongside Christian Estrosi for three weeks, becomes the first deputy of the fifth-largest city in France.
The Deputy Mayor of Nice had a princely choice with Benoît Kandel or Daniel Benchimol, the deputy for health. But ultimately, Christian Estrosi chose proximity and security, stating in the local daily newspaper, “I did not want a parliamentarian for this position who would have been less present.” He needed someone full-time, especially as circulating rumors suggest that Christian Estrosi could soon be called to Paris to take on ministerial responsibilities.
