While no one knows exactly whether they will take place in 2007 or 2008, the next municipal elections in the city of Nice seem to have started with a few candidacies and, above all, a lot of uncertainties regarding the selection of candidates to succeed Jacques Peyrat, who might even seek a new term.
A brief flashback for those who may have forgotten the results of the second round of the last municipal election, which saw the current Mayor, Jacques Peyrat (UMP), narrowly leading over Patrick Mottard (PS) with a score of 44.48% against 41.31%. Marie-France Stirbois (FN), now deceased, held the third position with 14.20% of the Nice electorate. In the first round, the candidates in the running remained below the 10% mark with Jacqueline Mathieu-Obadia (Miscellaneous Right) at 8.02%, Joseph Ciccolini (Miscellaneous Left) at 4.79%, Jean Icart (Miscellaneous Right) at 4.72%, Xavier Caïtucoli (MNR) at 3.02%, and Alain Roullier (Regionalist) at 1.64%.
While the personal candidacies of Jean Icart and Alain Roullier seem predictable, the same cannot be said for the other participants who have no certainty of once again becoming “municipal” within their own party.
On the right, the outgoing Mayor Jacques Peyrat seems to have rekindled ambitions after the recent obstacle regarding the Grand Stade, announcing that he would not be ousted from the race for the throne. However, he still needs the UMP’s endorsement, which is necessary and even obligatory to defend its colors and ideas. There’s a significant unknown within the UMP ranks with the potential candidacy of Madame Dominique or Monsieur Christian, as it might well be that we should count on an Estrosi in the upcoming local election, with the presidential elections potentially deciding the outgoing first name. Other contenders might wish to join the race for endorsement, such as Deputy Jérôme Rivière, who has been positioning himself for a few months as one of the potential candidates, or even Gilbert Stellardo who, after restoring the image of OGC Nice, imagines rejuvenating that of the city of Nice. On the UDF side, Rudy Salles will be a candidate as he has already announced in our columns.
On the left, even though Patrick Mottard enabled the Nice left in 2001 to achieve its best score in a municipal election, it’s uncertain if he can lead another campaign; first, he must face another Patrick, Allemand by name, who sees himself transitioning from the position of Vice President of the Paca Region to leader of the Nice left. Behind the duo of “favorites” from the PS, one could also imagine a Jean François Knecht or a Paul Cuturello, who have excelled in their role as municipal councilors. But the Nice left also includes Joseph Ciccolini, who garnered nearly 5% of the votes in the last election, and Jean Christophe Picard, head of the PRG in Nice, both preparing for candidacy but might join a plural left if the list suits them. History also suggests that if either of the two Patricks leads this list, Joseph Ciccolini will continue his own path… alone!
It’s therefore challenging to imagine today the name and surname of the candidate from the two major Nice parties who will face off at a yet uncertain date. A race for the municipals that ultimately leads to a complex equation with two unknowns, captivating many local elected officials and activists, judging by recent statements in the press or on their blogs.
