The decision of the Regional Council to withdraw the subsidy from the Côte d’Azur Regional Tourism Committee (CRT), even though the same amount will be reinvested in supporting Azur tourism in other forms, was not well-received by departmental authorities, known for their opposition to the political stance of Renaud Muselier and Christian Estrosi. Particularly, David Lisnard, who has turned this organization into a personal stronghold, did not tolerate this affront.
On the financial side, the issue was quickly resolved with an increase in departmental funding of an equivalent amount, as jointly announced by the President of the Departmental Council, Charles-Ange Ginésy, and the President of the Finance Commission, Eric Ciotti, who form the front line of local opposition to the metropolitan-regional tandem of Estrosi-Muselier.
“The Côte d’Azur’s tourism professionals need their promotional tool. This is the message we are sending today as the tourism sector struggles to emerge from a major crisis,” was the justification provided.
In fact, as in politics everything is interconnected, how can one imagine that the “lord” of the department’s west would not receive support from his associates? It goes to show that having control of the purse strings can be helpful in moments like these.
This new episode will certainly impact the internal relationships within the “republican” right in the territory and the region.
Especially since it won’t stop there: David Lisnard announced that he will file a defamation lawsuit against Renaud Muselier, who allegedly said, in justifying the Regional Council’s decision, “I’m not going to fund his presidential campaign” (or something to that effect) following the Cannes Mayor’s initiative to create a national group for the 2022 presidential elections.
Comments that Eric Ciotti, (raising the question of his authority given the criminal nature of this claim), has termed “shameful.”
But once again, in politics, everything is interconnected…
