Don’t they say that after the rain comes the sunshine?
This expression applies well to a Socialist Party devastated in the 2017 legislative elections, which is trying to rebuild itself with tenacity even though the conditions are frankly difficult and unfavorable.
Especially in the Alpes-Maritimes, a department historically and sociologically leaning to the right, even to the extreme right.
We can only admire those who, like Xavier Garcia, the first federal secretary, have not resigned themselves from their commitment and are dedicated to revitalizing a party that has lost almost everything.
To keep with the beautiful phrases, he embraces “the optimism of the will” rather than giving in to the “pessimism of reason.”
After a nightmarish year 2017 for the Socialist Party, what is your assessment of 2018?
An inevitably mixed assessment. We are still recovering, and our situation is not improving as quickly as we had hoped. But over the past year, the party has gotten back on track with a new leader and a rejuvenated team that is determined not to accept a political life confined to a dialogue between the presidential party and the extremes, and who are making it happen. Another positive point is the party’s cohesion, which hasn’t always been the case in recent years, to say the least. The first positive signs are being felt, particularly at the grassroots level. Not only is there no longer any departure, but we are also recording the return of former members and new sign-ups.
What are your hopes for 2019?
At this stage, I am more determined than hopeful. We have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us, both nationally and locally. Our first challenge is to unite a left that is currently in pieces and, as a result, is no longer able to significantly influence the public debate. We have a president who is certainly politically weakened, but we are unable to take advantage of it due to the divisions of the left into factions that no longer make sense. Everyone is creating their own small group in the name of unity! It’s disheartening. We need to bring everyone back to reason. I am working locally to allow us to perform well in the municipal elections. But this also involves projects. That’s why I created a blog* solely dedicated to making proposals to fuel the debate and create convergences around concrete projects.
What kind of project?
Simply proposals to improve the quality of life for the inhabitants of the Alpes-Maritimes or the Nice metropolis. With this in mind, I worked on a departmental cycling plan with the ecologist leader Laurent Lanquar. We proposed simple and low-cost solutions that would make less marginal what is the most ecological and pleasant means of transport on a territory that breaks all records for ozone peaks.
This could also be proposals for infrastructures to ease congestion in certain territories. I’m thinking of the Paillon Valley, which needs road improvements at the bridge connecting La Trinité and l’Ariane and the arrival of the tramway, but also of La Turbie, which turns into a car hell every morning for Monaco workers. I propose a light automatic metro (VAL) underground for 2.5 km between the La Turbie highway exit and Monaco. With the joint funding from the local governments, the principality, the State, and the European Union, we can consider financing such equipment, which would cost around 250 million euros. I will make this type of proposal every week.
Who will advance this project, especially in Nice?
The first thing to do in Nice, as in all the other major cities of the department, is to agree on the principle of unity and the axes of a project. Once we agree on this, everything will be easier, especially the designation of a list leader capable of uniting the entire left and carrying its ideas. With good projects and good leaders, we can be very ambitious, and it’s not excluded that we may gather beyond our own camp people who refuse the LR system in place, which has become a caricature of itself. In Nice, with the announced division of the right, if we don’t fall back into our bad habits, interesting things could happen.
