Philippe Vardon, lead candidate for NISSA: Nice, Identity, Security, Solidarity, Action in the Nice municipal election and spokesperson for the Identitarian Youth, has welcomed Nice-Premium to his office on Ribotti Street. The rules of the game are simple and the same for each candidate: around ten questions and between 45 and 60 minutes of interview. Candidates were thus able to develop their arguments. Philippe Vardon discusses his candidacy, the criticisms against his movement, and his goals in this interview.
NP: Good morning, Philippe Vardon. You are the head of the list for NISSA: Nice, Identity, Security, Solidarity, Action. The first round is approaching. You have been campaigning since September. How would you assess your first municipal campaign?
NP: What’s the most complicated part? Building a list? A program? Communicating?
NP: Your program includes three flagship measures: first, the organization of a local referendum on the issue of the large mosque. Is this really a priority for the people of Nice?
NP: You want to set a national, even European example with this refusal of a large mosque, which you see as a societal choice?
NP: The second measure: Creating positions for teachers of Niçoise language and culture in primary schools. Please explain…
NP: Most candidates include in their programs the desire to develop Niçoise culture. Christian Estrosi even had the Niçoise language recognized, and it is now included in the baccalaureate…
NP: The third measure: Reorganizing the Municipal Police and creating neighborhood posts… You mentioned that Michèle Alliot-Marie was inspired by your suggestion. Can you explain your proposal?
NP: Important themes of the campaign are housing and transportation… What are your proposals?
NP: The stadium is also a key theme of this campaign. Each candidate has a project in their program. What is the Vardon project?
NP: Are you allied with MNR? How was this alliance with the party formed? What are the conditions?
NP: Let’s talk about the FN. You were not against an alliance with the National Front, especially when it was looking for a lead candidate. Today, you are highly critical of the FN, to the point of confrontation. Can you shed some light on this relationship?
NP: We met before the legislative elections. You weren’t hoping to become a deputy. You just wanted people to talk about you. You said: ‘We want to root ourselves and prepare for 2014. We don’t aim to be the majority. We can be a force of opposition, proposal, or support. Being on the Municipal Council would be great for us. I’m convinced we’ll be there in 2014.’ What are the goals for 2008 and those for 2014?
NP: Talking about the second round… you likely won’t be there without offending you. We are heading towards, and forgive me for this political fiction, a triangular race between Estrosi, Peyrat, and Allemand. Who do you feel closest to? And where will your voters go?
NP: A question about your budget… After your conviction, you mentioned the difficulties you would have in paying your fine. Are there difficulties in financing your campaign?
NP: Now to the criticism section. You are used to using harsh words. You referred to the UMP as cancer and the PS as tuberculosis. You often talk about fighting, about being nation killers. These statements are more than ‘borderline’ and always fall within a martial lexicon. The law has its eye on you. You have been convicted, even though you appealed. Is all this really just a way to generate publicity?
NP: So if I understand correctly, here in Nice, just days before the municipal elections, do you consider yourself at war?
NP: Still on the theme of criticism: You are also criticized for your leafleting near high schools, your wild postering, we see ‘vote Vardon’ on the highway… What is the purpose of these actions?
NP: Lastly, what message do you want to deliver to the voters of Nice and internet users of Nice-Premium? What is your goal in terms of percentage of votes?
