There are two kinds of politicians: those who are born into a politico-cultural milieu and those who take an interest on their own initiative. Xavier Garcia belongs to the latter category. At the age of ten, he began watching political shows and reading books on the subject. During his political science studies, he didn’t have much time to devote to it (except as an activist). Today, in 2009, he is running his own campaign. This is a first for him, even though he worked alongside Patrick Allemand in 2004 and 2008 as campaign director.
His campaign started a year ago in the streets of the 6th district. For him, there is no other way to do politics without being on the ground, without knowing what you are talking about. Despite his shy demeanor at first glance, Xavier Garcia is familiar with the district’s issues. A misplaced gate of a public garden, noise issues in the southern areas of Cimiez, not enough shops in the northern neighborhoods of Cimiez, etc. “Proximity,” he says, is the key word in his speech. “It’s often the small details that could change people’s day-to-day lives,” he continues.
A few days ago, he started distributing questionnaires in the different neighborhoods of the district. Different? Yes, he himself says so. “The 6th district is very diverse. These are neighborhoods that are close geographically but do not resemble each other.” Each has problems that must be addressed in their own way. “To do this, one must listen to everyone,” he explains. An argument justified by his attitude. Xavier Garcia does not emphasize his political affiliation but seeks above all to understand each individual.
