If, over the past few months, a lull had set in among the various parties of the political class in Nice, the first summer heats quickly ignited an atmosphere that has now become quite burdensome.
On the right, the latest turmoil caused by the detention of two close associates of Jacques Peyrat (Martial Meunier Jourde and Daniel Véran) seems to have opened a new breach in a municipal majority that would have preferred to do without a new scam within its walls. A new investigation, whose beginnings would date back to the beginning of the year, could create further surprises, and the Public Prosecutor in Nice, Eric de Montgolfier, seems quite determined to carry out his investigations to the end.
While the left in Nice communicates a lot – the opposite would have been surprising – the local right is much less talkative on the subject, and few local elected officials have expressed their opinions on this latest scam at the heart of the Nice city hall. Undoubtedly, everyone is waiting for the next legal steps in this case to deliver a verdict, perhaps a bit too early.
For the UDF, as you can read in our columns, the resignation of the Municipal Council also seems to be the best solution.
“Dissolution” is also the opinion of various municipal opposition elected officials (Nice Plurielle Group), departmental officials (Departmental Council), and regional officials (Regional Council) who agree to go as far as asking the Minister of the Interior – Nicolas Sarkozy -, the President of the Departmental Council – Christian Estrosi -, and the Prefect – Pierre Breuil – to intervene in this matter. An agreement could not have come at a better time in a climate that had considerably warmed up on the left side of the planet Nice following the statements, admittedly clumsy but also misinterpreted, of Patrick Mottard who should henceforth learn to think seven times before “posting online.”
Will the summer be a show?
As we well understand: the summer is likely to be very hot in Nice and, both on the right and the left, everyone is getting ready to face this heatwave as they can, closely monitoring the decisions taken from the Courthouse to the Prefecture via Matignon. Decisions that could well change the local political landscape, whether by an anticipated municipal election or by a thorough cleanup of the malfunctions of one (or several) local administration(s).
Meanwhile, the summer is well underway in “Nissa not always as beautiful as that” and it is clear that the mobilization has been engaged for some time in the local parties and associations. It seems that in recent days, a new phase seems to be shaping up in a local political landscape with a municipal-flavored aftertaste.
