Three months after his victory in the municipal ballot, the mayor of Dijon and president of Dijon metropolis, François Rebsamen (PS), was a candidate for a new election: that of the presidency of the urban France association. But there was another PS candidacy, that of the mayor of Nantes Johanna Rolland. And it was she who was finally chosen by the elected socialist mayors on Wednesday September 23, with 14 votes against 10 for François Rebsamen, to dispute Thursday September 24 for the head of urban France to Jean-Luc Moudenc (LR), mayor of Toulouse and outgoing president of the association. With all the chances of winning, given that the left is the majority (48 seats against 45 for the right according to the score of the newspaper The world) and that the environmentalists (11 seats) would support it.
Contacted this Wednesday evening by phone, François Rebsamen tells us behind the scenes of this political battle with, in the background, the debate that crosses the left on the question of alliances with Europe Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV). “The day after the municipal elections, I called the mayor LR of Toulouse, with whom I have friendly relations, to tell him that in view of the results in the big cities, it would be necessary to set up a work-study program within association. I told him that I would be a candidate for the presidency. It was at the beginning of July. In the meantime, there is a meeting in Tours on the initiative of Eric Piolle, the mayor of Grenoble (EELV, Editor’s note ), to which I had not been invited like other socialist mayors elsewhere. It brought together elected ecologists and some socialist elected representatives who had made an agreement with the Greens during the municipal elections. I did not know it at the start , but I learned that during this meeting, Eric Piolle asked Johanna Rolland to be candidate for the presidency of urban France on behalf of the meeting of Tours.
“I’m used to political fights, including people who lack speech”
The day after the PS summer school in Blois, where the authorities of the socialist and republican federations had validated my candidacy for urban France, Johanna Rolland announced to me that she was a candidate. It got a little heated between us … We explained each other. She told me that she had the support of environmentalists for this election. They represent 11 votes out of 104. The left is in the majority relatively without the environmentalists. I said to myself then that with the voices of the left, even if the ecologists presented a candidate, I would be appointed. But Johanna Rolland lobbied. There was a vote which took place yesterday (Tuesday, Editor’s note) and today (Wednesday, Editor’s note), without the presence of various left elected officials. Only the 24 elected socialist mayors were present. Until 5:15 pm tonight (Wednesday, Editor’s note), there was a tie between her and me. Twelve votes each. And at that hour, two people who said they would vote for me changed their vote. In particular the mayor of Paris. It tipped the vote. ”
The mayor of Dijon suddenly decided to withdraw his candidacy. “I have no bitterness. I’m used to political fights, including people who lack speech. Now we will follow the life of urban France, because it is its role to act for its members. And if the radical environmentalists got their hands on this association, I will ask the question of my participation. And I will not be the only one. Left and right united. I do say “radicals”, because I have had green assistants for 20 years. Me, I’m for the Christmas tree and the Tour de France. “
The vote for the presidency of the urban France association will take place on Thursday, September 24 at the town hall in Paris.
Created in 2015, France Urbaine brings together all the metropolises, urban communities, urban communities and large cities of France. It is made up of 104 members, including the mayors of Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Toulouse, Bordeaux and, of course, Dijon.
The missions of the association are as follows: to exchange views on good practices implemented in the territories, to represent members before decision-making bodies, but also, and above all, to influence the actors who take part in the decision: government, parliament, services of State…
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