After the first year of leadership at the head of the Region, Christian Estrosi provided an initial assessment of his actions.
The President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Regional Council recalled his results and indicated the priorities for the future: “If the year 2016 was marked by change, the year 2017 will be one of acceleration.”
An acceleration that will be reflected in the increase of several regional budgets: 16% for the economy, employment, and innovation, 24% for aid to artisans and merchants, 50% for direct aid to businesses, 11% for research, 9% for culture, and 4% for youth.
Given the generosity of these promises, it’s certainly no coincidence that this conference was held on the eve of the Epiphany, when the Wise Men bring gifts!
On the occasion of this wishes ceremony, the official stated, “I will not revisit the long list of measures we have taken in one year,” before doing exactly the opposite and listing them and summarizing them: “One year of action during which we have improved the daily lives of 5 million Provençals, Alpines, and Azuréens and prepared the future for our children. One year during which we have reformed, challenged conservatisms in service of our citizens. One year during which we have profoundly changed Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. One year during which more than 80% of our commitments have been fulfilled or are in the process of being completed.”
The result? Satisfactory, of course! After all, one is never better served than by oneself!
A politician with many hats, Christian Estrosi also ventured into analyzing the national situation: “Next May, whatever happens, we will change the President of the Republic. It will also be necessary to change the policy!”—the brief comment of someone who, after losing the right-wing primary battle for his support to Nicolas Sarkozy, is trying to get back in the good graces of Jean-François Fillon with the ambition of a ministerial position (according to well-informed sources).
To this end, he intends “to make this voice heard in the coming months” and announced that he has written a book: “In it, I hold a discourse of truth and present my vision of the France of tomorrow.”
Let’s hope to read a few thoughts that are a bit more intellectually structured than: “Social Gaullist I am, social Gaullist I will remain” or “We must change everything to ensure that the great voice of France is heard again!”, ending with: “Between TRUMP’s America and POUTINE’s Russia, we must build a strong France that protects its own and makes its voice heard across all continents.”
As Bertolt Brecht wrote, “Repetition of trivialization renders it invisible.”
