www.estrozy2008.com appeared on the web shortly after the announcement of the candidacy of the President of the General Council and Secretary of State for Overseas Territories for the mayoralty of Nice, resulting in the suspension of the UMP for the current mayor and candidate Jacques Peyrat. Presented as the site that “aims to prove, in a quirky way, that Christian Estrosi’s candidacy for mayor of Nice is illegitimate and does not serve the interests of Nice and its residents,” estrozy2008.com offers a regularly updated, scathing portrait of the poll favorite.
Temporarily disappeared from the web for a few days (due to a simple server failure), its absence was noted by local blogs and some internet users; thus, Nice Premium wanted to learn more about the person behind this site who agreed to respond virtually (by email) to our questions.
Nice Premium: Why did you create your site www.estrozy2008.com?
Long before the official announcement of Christian Estrosi’s candidacy for the mayor of Nice, the residents of Nice endured the blatant parachuting of Eric Ciotti as the deputy for the 1st district. This attempt to seize control of the city irritates many residents of Nice who rightly think they deserve a full-time mayor. Moreover, Nicolas Sarkozy promised his friend a ministry position should he win in Nice…
I am just conveying an opinion of Estrosi that is already well established among the residents of Nice. And then, the character is fabulous for satirical articles: blunders overseas, unresolved Nice affairs, the dubious remarks of the president about his real capabilities…
NP: You wish to remain anonymous, fear of retaliation or just a puzzle?
Neither… Legally, I risk nothing since I specify in the title of the site itself that it is in no way the official site of Christian Estrosi. I have no intention of deceiving the citizens of Nice. I simply want to inform them about his true personality.
NP: Have you received a lot of inquiries since opening your site?
I’ve received some great emails. Internet users encourage me to continue. But I’m not the only one organizing resistance online. Numerous blogs have sprung up recently. The difference is that while I criticize Estrosi’s candidacy, I do not support any candidate. The fact that people are interested in my site and that the visitation of the blog increases daily proves that there’s interest from the citizens of Nice to learn about the real Estrosi. I take this question as an opportunity to thank Nice-Premium and its team for giving this blog some publicity.
NP: What is your view on the upcoming municipal elections in Nice?
A fragmented left with the possibility that neither of the two lists makes it to the second round… A divided right between Estrosi, who fancies himself the Master of Nice surrounded by a plethora of celebrity team members, and an incumbent mayor who indeed has a strong track record but also an age where I would consider looking after myself and my family. In short, nothing very stimulating… The extremes struggle to form lists, and as for the Modem, their score will probably be negligible.
The most serious issue is that so far, apart from Allemand, none have presented a program for Nice and its citizens…
NP: Local rumors suggest you are a member of the UMP from the Côte d’Azur. What do you think?
Local rumors? Estrozy2008 is so consulted to be a topic of discussion among the residents of Nice? I’m thrilled.
NP: If I say…
Jacques Peyrat: a mayor with a strong personality who has left his mark on Nice. He could have stepped down with honors, handing over in the middle of his term. But his stubbornness and Estrosi’s thirst for power decided otherwise.
Christian Estrosi: Megalomaniac, power-hungry, little concerned about the interests of the residents of Nice. If his work is so good at the General Council, he should stay there and continue.
Patrick Mottard: He had the audacity to bypass the primaries… knowing he would lose since Allemand holds the members. I’m waiting for his project. The man is interesting, but the politician lacks personality and charisma for a city like Nice.
Patrick Allemand: The Estrosi of the left. Always more power at the risk of doing less and less well. The man of the machine.
Hervé Caël: No definitive opinion. He seems like a good communicator but doesn’t have the shoulders to lead a list in Nice.
Philippe Vardon: Champion of Nissard-Nice culture. Some points of his program might be interesting if there wasn’t a certain violence in the words as well as in the acts.
NP: Finally, will you keep your anonymity after the elections?
We’ll see. If Nice and its citizens can escape the Estrosi disaster, there will be no need for resistance. If he is elected, it will be necessary to remain vigilant and continue to inform the residents of Nice about the reality of the character.
