A relaxed and lively Christian Estrosi greeted his numerous supporters (elected officials, civil society leaders, collaborators, citizens) yesterday, in the late afternoon at the bandstand in the Promenade du Paillon Gardens.
According to the opening remarks by Pierre-Paul Leonelli, president of the Friends of the Mayor of Nice, this meeting was meant to be one of conviviality, a small moment of gratitude for Christian Estrosi, while awaiting the big event planned for September 7.
In fact, it started off with the good intention of the Mayor of Nice to share with those present “the idea we have of our city” – but the promise lasted only as long as the announcement, and Christian Estrosi opened the floodgates for a lengthy speech during which nothing was omitted: neither the past, nor the present, and especially not… the future!
Some phrases are quite explanatory: “advancing Nice and the metropolis,” “my word is for today and for the future.” Indeed, the 10 years since his election as mayor can only be considered as a stage in a race far from its final destination.
In fact, while the list of numerous achievements was meticulously listed as evidence of an ambitious vision and as a demonstration and proof of his effective management, Christian Estrosi also touched on some more political points.
First of all, he claimed his affiliation with the republican right – contrary to the wishes of his number one departmental rival Eric Ciotti who would like him to leave – all while asserting his freedom of thought.
His statement was clear: “I am right-wing, Gaullist, and loyal to the traditional values of my political formation” – he declared before taking a jab at “those who distort them.”
Secondly, he wanted to clearly explain that his supposed compatibility with “macronism” simply stems from the fact that this Government – unlike those under Hollande’s presidency – has already positively reviewed several dossiers presented by the Nice municipality: police hotel, municipal police in schools, funding for the extension of Pasteur 2, etc.
Therefore, it’s a simple matter of convenience, to which the ego of the Mayor of Nice is not foreign, as he feels acknowledged and heard by this Government while the previous ones…
Third act: the balance of power. Estrosi, how many divisions? one might say, referencing a famous expression by Stalin about Pope Pius XII. A message sent to those who dislike him (just a euphemism): in the Municipal Council “his” majority consists of 55 councilors out of 69; in the Metropolitan Council, 44 mayors out of 49; in the Departmental Council, 17 councilors have formed an autonomous group that politically answers to him. He is also Deputy President of the Regional Council and co-president of the “macron-compatible” movement La France Audacieuse. As they say in such cases, the arsenal is strong!
Conclusions: for Christian Estrosi, in these complex and contradictory times – his credo is “one must know how to bring people together.” To do so, “one must be free, be one’s own boss, owe no accounts to anyone.” That’s his case, of course.
But it couldn’t end like this, without emphasis: “No, in fact, I do have bosses, and these bosses are you” – concluded the Mayor of Nice, who finds this condition of his own volition.
