This Wednesday, Philippe Vardon presented his list of 69 running mates. At the Bastioun, his headquarters, he also discussed his various campaign commitments.
For about an hour, Philippe Vardon addressed the press. Very motivated, he presented a program divided into four points. Surrounded by about fifteen loyalists, he did not hesitate to take some jabs at his opponents while assuring that “Christian Estrosi would be reelected”. As a result, he wonders who the people of Nice “will choose to embody the opposition in the municipal council and defend them against the Estrosi system”.
The first of the four points presented is the desire to restore security. Philippe Vardon recalled that Christian Estrosi wanted to make Nice “the showcase of security and today, it is more the showcase of insecurity”. He therefore proposes:
- That the municipal police go after thugs rather than motorists
- Foot patrols in neighborhoods rather than cameras
- That the city systematically join as a civil party with assaulted merchants and provide them with its lawyers
- The opening of new neighborhood police stations
- The opening of a major municipal police station on Jean-Médecin Avenue to restore security and clear out gangs
Secondly, he wants to promote and transmit the identity of Nice. He therefore proposes:
– The creation of a major deputy mayor position dedicated to identity, encompassing the management of religions, heritage, as well as the language and culture of Nice
– The introduction of initiation to history, language, and Nice culture in primary schools to impart to children the love of the city
– The extension of bilingual French-Nissart signage throughout the city to make the lenga nouostra a part of daily life in Nice
– Real support for our traditional festivals, which are currently completely neglected by the Estrosi municipality
– The sanctuarization of the Old Town as the living heart of our identity by prohibiting the opening of businesses that contradict it
– The promotion of culture and traditions as keys to prosperity and attractiveness of the Nice region.
Thirdly, he wants to refuse and combat Islamization in Nice. After criticizing some opponents by repeating phrases, he declared his intention to fight for:
- The immediate cessation of the municipality’s partnership with extremist Muslims of the Union of Islamic Organizations of France
- The halt of municipal building rentals used as mosques
- The cessation of all subsidies to Islamic associations
- The reaffirmation of the Christian roots of our city
Finally, in the last point, he announced his desire to put an end to debt and extravagant spending. To achieve this, Philippe Vardon wants:
- The abandonment of the insane project of the semi-underground tram line 2 to return to a simpler and less costly surface project
- The halt of financial waste around communication and representation expenses of the municipality as well as mission expenses of elected officials. In all three cases, they are particularly high compared to the national average
- The break with clientelist methods through subsidies granted to associations whose primary concern is not the Common Good.
Apart from these four points, Philippe Vardon’s commitments go further. Their fight is broader as he pledges to fight for:
- The permanent defense of family and families
- The creation of 1000 additional daycare spaces
- The end of cementing our hills and the Var plain
- The maintenance and development of proximity and diversity agriculture in the Var plain, gradually making it the “granary” of the Metropolis
- The development of short circuits and the progressive transition to organic for all municipal canteens
- The installation of solar panels on all municipal buildings to gradually develop their energy autonomy
- The rejection of any form of so-called positive discrimination in hiring based on ethnic or religious criteria, and therefore the rejection of the “Diversity Charter” endorsed by Christian Estrosi and his municipality
- The fight for a logic of local preference in all areas.
Philippe Vardon concluded his speech with this phrase that could sum it all up: “Our own before others!”
