In the style of Mahatma Gandhi and his marches, both symbolic and popular, Christian Estrosi and his affiliates of Nice Ensemble concluded the election campaign with a collective public manifestation: from Pasteur 2 to the Promenade des Anglais on foot and at a marching pace (with a tramway ride included… modernity obliges).
Although the large crowd was not present, as it was for his illustrious predecessor, and the attendance was reduced to a few retirees, the vigor of the candidates gave a true tone to this friendly and original demonstration.
In fact, Christian Estrosi, with acuity and tactical finesse, transformed this departmental election, whose importance escapes most due to the minor role this territorial collectivity will play following the reform currently under discussion in Parliament, into an extension of last year’s municipal elections.
By presenting nine pairs under the Nice Ensemble label, all composed of municipal elected officials except the two mayors of Carros and Saint-Andrรฉ-la-Roche (also Vice-Presidents of the Metropolis), the mayor of Nice appropriated the electoral propaganda and, in case of a likely clean sweep in the 9 Nice cantons, will have a third of departmental councilors under his direct control.
This group will be his spearhead in the domain of his friend, and nevertheless rival, Eric Ciotti, who will be reconducted next week in the public office he has held since 2008.
He will enjoy a very large majority, but the elected representatives of Nice Ensemble will be there to defend above all the interests of Nice, which will require him to compromise with other territories in search of a balance that won’t be easy to achieve.
Moreover, the remarks made by Christian Estrosi in front of the bandstand in Albert 1er Garden after the group march had a clear dual tone like a “toccata e fuga”: criticism and opposition to government policy (with local socialists having disappeared from his radar) and fighting in the name of values against the National Front, which could snatch one or two cantons from his candidates and deprive him of absolute victory (and in this case prevent him from using it as a strong point of his propaganda).
And what about the departmental elections in all this? The objective is quite different: to complete the governance of the territories (the same elected officials will do so with a triple municipal, metropolitan, and departmental hat).
It’s probably for this reason that he led the campaign for all the Nice candidates. Isn’t it said that one is never better served than by oneself?
