This Sunday, voters from 28 municipalities (actually, 27 plus the western districts of Nice which represent about 80% of the electorate) will have the opportunity to choose the successor of Christian Estrosi, who left his deputy seat to comply with the law on multiple office holding.
Last night, Marine Brenier, the designated heir, symbolically concluded her electoral campaign (in reality, she will do so on Friday in Saint-Etienne de Tinée, the highest commune in the constituency). She is the clear favorite in this “competition,” although the limited percentage of expected voters (25 to 30%) and the competition from Front National candidate Jean-Michel Butti will certainly lead to a second round.
She has the support of mayors who monopolize consensus and power in the hinterland and the endorsement of Christian Estrosi, who will be her deputy, just in case the protégé strays a bit from the path.
In front of a cohort of officials and a few dozen aficionados, the future number 2 youngest member of the National Assembly (number 1 being Marion Maréchal Le Pen!) was ushered into the limelight with benevolence by the future dean of local deputies, Rudy Salles (in position since 1988), who praised her qualities and commended her energetic and close-to-the-people campaign.
Then, the “deputy” Christian Estrosi explained the choice of Marine Brenier as a candidate by citing the sign of renewal and youth, although the young candidate is not at all inexperienced: engaged in politics since 2007, she has been elected to the Nice municipal council since 2008, and her curriculum requires just a few lines: deputy mayor, departmental councilor, and president of the Young Republicans 06 and national.
An illustrious path or a diligent student.
With certain ease and a bright smile, Marine Brenier addressed her supporters and future voters, bravely outlining her program, which naturally aligns with the actions of her mentor, Christian Estrosi.
Listening to her, the “youngster” already has clear ideas and ambitious goals and will not head to the Palais Bourbon just to participate but quite the contrary!
Regarding security, she commits to submitting proposals concerning facial recognition using cameras (a topic dear to Christian Estrosi), lowering the age of majority to 16 to criminally prosecute minors, and reinstating minimum sentencing laws. Could Eric Ciotti have found a protégé in a skirt?
However, Marine Brenier does not intend to stop there: she has her sights set on simplifying the Labor Code (not an original idea but very much in style!) and on reducing taxes, although the specifics were not explained.
Finally, rural issues (a nod to voters from the Nice hinterland) have not been forgotten either: articulated policies will need to be adopted to prevent isolation, with the implementation of public services and a real response to medical service desertification.
If all these intentions turn into actions, the arrival of the newly elected will have the effect of a tornado, considering the shortness of the current mandate prior to the 2017 legislative elections.
Fortunately, once the election is over, all this display will be put away in drawers, and Marine Brenier will fall back in line.
Moreover, while Christian Estrosi’s protégée continues to advance her slogan: “the youth of ideas,” those presented have a “been there, done that” feel that would be better left to regional notables.
From Marine Brenier, we expect rather the ideas of youth: bold, cheeky, and innovative.
