The three main axes of the Socialist Party’s action in the year 2011: Successfully holding the primaries to select the candidate for the presidential election, achieving a good result in the cantonal elections, and playing a strong opposition role to Christian Estrosi in what will certainly be the “truth” year.
Here is a summary of the considerations from the PS Secretary in the Alpes-Maritimes, head of the municipal opposition “Changez d’ère” in Nice, and 1st Vice-President of the PACA Regional Council.
PS Primaries
This is the first experience of “open” primaries for both activists and voters. We don’t know the sociological composition of “this” electorate. We will have to mobilize voters without discouraging activists who might feel expropriated of one of their rights.
The organization will be complicated, especially where the municipalities are right-leaning and will not provide public spaces (schools and municipal offices).
We aim for a significant result, at least 1 million voters, to provide a foundation and legitimacy to the winner who will be the Socialist candidate for the presidential election. The internal battle must be very fair-play; personally, I will not issue any voting instructions, as it is not the role of the PS Federation to tell voters who are not Party members what they should do. We would have no legitimacy to do so! We must take the opportunity to launch the electoral campaign and give a positive dynamic to the strong ideas of the socialist program.
Cantonal Elections
These elections will exceed the local framework and also be a test of the government’s policy. We know the French are dissatisfied and in complete disarray. A recent survey shows it: 61% of them are pessimistic about their future!
The purchasing power stagnates or decreases, unemployment rises, there is a lot of uncertainty even for housing given the surge in prices and the lack of social housing. Socialist values of solidarity are a strong and appropriate response to the citizens’ demand for a policy more attentive to their concerns.
We have united the forces of the left-wing opposition to maximize our chances of retaining our achievements and even improving them with a few additional seats.
The new electoral rule obliges us to this assembly because the number of three-cornered contests will certainly be lower.
We have good candidates, and I am confident about the result.
Opposition to Christian Estrosi for his management of the City
2011 will be the year of truth. The people of Nice will have to acknowledge that the mayor’s megalomania is not the right path for sound management of our city.
The municipal policy could be summarized in one sentence: Many promises, few facts!
Some examples:
Tram Line 2: The mayor’s behavior is caricatural. Repeated changes of decision regarding the route, following public reactions. It seems the mayor carries the plans under his arm and modifies them each time he encounters opposition. Not to mention the cost, the exact amount of which is unknown and, of course, varies according to the changes!
Metropolis: Christian Estrosi set out to conquer the department and will end up heading a metropolis that will resemble the current Urban Community, as major municipalities in the east and west of the department have disengaged. This is a major political setback for someone who saw himself as king but whom the barons did not want.
Security: Once again, the proposed and applied policy has not yielded results. Crime episodes are on the rise, and if few major hold-ups are observed, it is because large banking and commercial enterprises have autonomously organized self-protection.
But what about the citizens? The belief was that a simple video-surveillance system would be “the” solution, while it is largely insufficient and needs to be supplemented with the physical presence of the police (whose numbers are reduced to satisfy budgetary constraints), which is a deterrent and especially the proximity police who could play a deterrent role.
In short, police action needs to be reoriented for better protection of individuals and places.
Remaining in one’s autism in the face of these realities would be above all a dangerous failure for democracy because it would inevitably favor those who claim to provide radical answers.
Operation of National Interest (OIN) in the Var Plain:
Beyond the Grand Stadium and its eco-district, which have already been highlighted for all their deficiencies and contradictions…and the astronomical cost, there is no known strategic development plan. The company’s director is often changed, but ideas do not come to light, at least as far as we know.
I would say that for now…we’re still searching!
