From the beginning of autumn, it was clear that these municipal elections in Nice would have a particular flavor with the announcement of Patrick Mottard’s candidacy without going through the traditional Socialist Party (PS) primaries, which led to his expulsion from the party. This decision set the stage for a primary on the left, with Patrick Allemand, the candidate officially endorsed by the PS, joined by the Communist Party, the Greens, and the MRC. The only uncertainty remaining in the left-wing alliance in Nice is the Radical Left Party of Jean-Christophe Picard, which has not yet decided whether to form an alliance (presumably with Patrick Mottard) or to create an independent list, similar to the Alternatifs, whose list is likely to be led by city councilor Bruno Della Sudda, barring any surprises.
Now moving far right with the end-of-year drama at the UMP, which, after a brief suspense, saw Christian Estrosi positioning himself as the official candidate of the presidential majority, while the current Mayor of Nice, Jacques Peyrat, chose not to respond to governmental offers and gifts, preferring to don the candidate’s uniform once again for one last significant battle.
Thus, the right wing in Nice will also have its primary, which has attracted considerable attention from the national political milieu for months, evidenced by polls, attempts at destabilization, and other unfortunate slip-ups along the way for various candidates.
Jean Icart and Rudy Salles, who were once candidates in the municipal elections, have finally and sensibly chosen to board the “Estrosi TGV,” which is now reportedly full. Could it be this overload that has caused the UMP favorite to slow down in the latest polls?
The battles will indeed be fierce from left to right, and it will be quite difficult for Hervé Caël, the latest entrant in the municipal race under the orange colors of the MoDem, to do as well as his mentor François Bayrou in the last presidential election. However, whether or not he makes it to the second round, these centrist votes will weigh heavily in the balance. This particular second round could have anywhere from two to four participants because, as of today, it is reasonable to think that none of the candidates in the running can win outright in the first round. The alliances formed for the second round could be the key to success, or even prove the polls wrong, which currently suggest that the people of Nice have already made their choice. It would be presumptuous to predict a result today, which will depend on the next three months of local or national news and, crucially, finally offer the various contenders’ programs because, to date, nothing very specific has yet been revealed by any party, as they are just sprinkling bits of their proposals preparing for the big public presentation most likely taking place in January.
The municipal election in Nice could not ignore engaging members of civil society, who some might call “celebrities.” Thus, we see the Nice native, actress Sophie Duez, alongside Patrick Allemand—Duez is no stranger to electoral politics, having participated in Michel Vauzelle’s campaign—while Patrick Mottard has enlisted the services of gallerist Christian Depardieu, and the Niçois writer Raoul Mille lends his pen to Christian Estrosi. Other personalities have been mentioned for their interest in politics, but it is not yet clear (if it ever will be) whom Christophe Pinna or Noëlle Perna will support.
In short, the year 2008 promises to be particularly eventful for aficionados of local politics, and no doubt every day will be of importance, especially considering that during these same municipal elections, the upcoming cantonal elections will also take place, which should also be of great interest, featuring, for example, a duel between Marc Concas and Eric Ciotti in the first canton that will be worth watching…
But that’s another story!
