Far-Right Candidate Secures National Rally Nomination for Hyères Mayoral Race, Pledging Focus on Security and Local Issues
Hyères, France – Jean-Michel Eynard-Tomatis, a deputy of National Rally (RN) parliamentarian Stéphane Rambaud, has unexpectedly secured the nomination of marine Le Pen’s movement for the 2026 Hyères mayoral election. This development signals a potential shift in the political landscape of the coastal city and underscores the growing strength of the RN at the local level. Eynard-Tomatis’s campaign is centering on issues of security, social housing, and equitable distribution of municipal resources, diverging from traditional far-right rhetoric with a pragmatic approach.
Background: Hyères and the Shifting Right-Wing Political Landscape
Hyères, a town in the Var department of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, has historically been a battleground for right-wing factions. The upcoming mayoral election was initially anticipated to be a consolidation of forces between the ciotists (a local political group) and the lepenists (supporters of Marine Le Pen‘s National Rally). François Cornileau, representing the Union for French Democracy (UDR), was widely expected to lead a unified right-wing ticket. However,Cornileau’s premature announcement of his candidacy created confusion and opened the door for Eynard-Tomatis’s successful bid for the RN nomination.
Eynard-Tomatis’s victory surprised many, notably given his focus on a specific local issue largely ignored by other candidates: the lack of municipal action regarding a pressing, yet unnamed, problem.He states that other candidates avoid the issue, perhaps due to a lack of understanding or a belief that it’s unsolvable. If elected in March 2026, his first act will be the creation of a dedicated municipal cell to address this issue, arguing that the municipality must actively engage, even if the Regional Health Agency (ARS) holds primary decision-making power. He intends to leverage the mayor’s office to exert pressure and ensure local concerns are prioritized.
Key Campaign Pillars: Security, Housing, and Equitable Resource Allocation
Eynard-Tomatis is campaigning on a platform built around three core tenets:
Security: He identifies a pervasive “feeling of insecurity” in certain Hyères neighborhoods as a primary concern. While acknowledging existing efforts, he promises to “increase the means” dedicated to public safety. This is a central theme resonating with voters, according to the candidate.
Social Housing reform: He proposes a radical overhaul of social housing in the Val-des-Rougières district, citing 160 vacant units. his plan includes demolishing a tower block to make way for individual houses or a public service facility, and implementing access control measures (digicode entry) to limit access to residents only, aiming to curb illicit activity. Equitable Distribution of subsidies: eynard-Tomatis intends to re-evaluate the allocation of municipal subsidies to local associations, ensuring that non-priority districts receive fairer consideration.A Pragmatic Approach to the National Rally Image
Perhaps most notably, Eynard-Tomatis is attempting to rebrand the National Rally’s image in Hyères. He pledges to continue funding Villa Noailles, a renowned center for art and architecture, even if it risks alienating some voters. He argues that supporting cultural institutions enhances the city’s reputation and challenges the perception of the RN as culturally insensitive.
“We frequently enough blame us for our inculture… But we must stop despising us and change the perception that people have of the national gathering,” he stated. He emphasizes that the RN has evolved since the days of the Toulon National Front in 1995, and that he has encountered many individuals within the party who are not ideologically rigid.He joined the party in 2018.
Crucial Details Not Included in the Original Article:
Past Context of Hyères Politics: Hyères has a history of strong conservative and right-wing voting patterns. Understanding this context is crucial to interpreting the meaning of Eynard-Tomatis’s candidacy.
The “unnamed problem”: The article deliberately avoids specifying the issue Eynard-Tomatis intends to address. Further examination would be needed to determine its nature and importance to local residents. It is speculated to be related to healthcare access, given the mention of the ARS.
The Ciotists: The ciotists are a local political group with a significant following in Hyères. Their potential alliance with the RN was a key element of the pre-nomination political maneuvering. Their current stance following Eynard-Tomatis’s nomination remains unclear.
* Population Data: hyères has a population of approximately 56,000 residents (202
