2023-07-11 16:28:54
Emmanuel Macron speaks with the mayors in the village hall of the Elysée Palace, in Paris, on July 4, 2023. CYRIL BITTON / DIVERGENCE FOR “THE WORLD”
They are satisfied but not completely reassured. Mayors who have been victims of aggression and threats in recent months are divided after government announcements to better protect them. Following the urban riots, during which a large number of local elected officials were targeted, the Minister responsible for local authorities, Dominique Faure, announced to the Mondeon July 7, a plan endowed with 5 million euros, comprising twelve measures.
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Urban riots: “A 5 million euro plan to protect mayors”
Among them are better legal protection for elected officials, enhanced psychological support, the establishment of a “call button” or the installation of CCTV cameras and “devices for securing the premises in front of the town hall or the mayor’s residence”.
“These latest announcements are all going in the right direction”applauds the mayor of Plougrescant (Côtes-d’Armor), Anne-Françoise Piedallu, who welcomes the fact that this new state effort comes “add up” au “security package” that the government had put in place in May, in response to the resignation of the mayor of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins (Loire-Atlantique), victim of the fire in his house.
One point in particular satisfies the Breton elected official: the increase in the reimbursement of procedural costs, when a mayor takes legal action. “A very good thing”, according to her. Besides, “the assumption by the State of insurance costs, for all municipalities with less than 10,000 inhabitants, whereas this is only the case for those with less than 3,500 inhabitants today, is a very good point “adds the one who had received ” death threats ” these last months.
It is out of the question to “bunkerize” them
Another measure acclaimed by several elected officials: the government’s desire to better take charge of psychological support for mayors targeted by threats, in order to “that no elected official feel alone in the face of violence”. “Psychological support is important because sometimes we realize what happened to us only a few months later”judge Stéphanie Von Euw, mayor (Free!) of Pontoise, who claimed to have been attacked by rioters on the night of June 29 to 30.
According to her account, she had been “recognized” by her attackers and deliberately targeted by fireworks while she was in her car. For her, the million euros dedicated to the psychological follow-up of city councilors contributes to “recognition of the special status of the local elected representative”. “We are constantly in action, as elected officials, and we tend to depersonalize the violence that is directly addressed to us”she observes.
You have 49.86% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.
#governments #plan #welcomed #enthusiasm #reservations