The place (the hall of the former South Station, which is undergoing renovation and will be transformed into a public space with shops and events in a few months) will certainly be one of the sought-after locations in Nice’s social life in the coming years, with its unique intuition.
Christian Estrosi chose one of the showcases for his wishes that reflect his commitment to the profound change he wants to achieve to transform Nice into a modern 21st-century city.
Moreover, in these somewhat politically tense times, the presence of local dignitaries (notably the absence of the president of the Departmental Council Charles-Ange Ginésy and the presence of the “En Marche” deputy Cedric Roussel) and the “estrosie semper fidelis” was also an opportunity to effectively respond to the gathering (over 1,000 people) of the previous day for Eric Ciotti’s wishes in a palace on the Promenade. In essence, the operation was successful, and the vast space was full of people.
Was it a matter of measuring his popularity and appeal to the potential electorate ahead of the 2020 municipal elections? True or not, the strange survey (asking people three years in advance how they would vote on D-day seems akin to cartomancy, doesn’t it?) that conveniently appeared in the local gazette certainly resembled a message, and in some part, a challenge.
Efficiently juggling his various public roles (mayor of Nice, president of the Metropolis, deputy president of the Region), blending vision (“there are those who have the courage that liberates, the courage that unites”) and well-aimed critiques (“those ones, they are scared stiff, the fear that obscures”), programs (“there are those who only have the past as a solution, there are those who have the future as a compass”) and actions (“with the Metropolis, we are investing more than a billion in daily infrastructures” or “in 2018, Nice, its Metropolis, and the Region will invest as much as last year”), he seized the opportunity to showcase the realization of his commitments (how can we forget when the images of the projected film remind us so well?).
One might smile at this redundant communication, but at the same time, who could doubt the positive impact and profound changes that his project impulses will bring to city life, thanks to his unwavering determination to move forward?
2018 will mark the 10th anniversary of his tenure as mayor of Nice; more than 5 years as President of the Metropolis, which he so desired; and 2 years since the victory in the Region under dramatic circumstances: how could one not make a largely positive assessment, even if all that glitters is not gold and the thread of certain primacies he likes to claim (for him, Nice is always the first in everything!), is sometimes a bit thick!
“If you are not the first to believe in your ideas and what you do, how can you expect others to be?” – this was the reflection of an old political hand that the mayor of Nice made his own and applies to the letter.
During this evening of well-wishes, one will remember the trilogy that Christian Estrosi offered the audience with the usual emphasis: happiness, to which everyone will give their own meaning; audacity, labeled by the promoter of Bold France (will it find its place in the torn panorama of French politics?); finally, unity, a beautiful word but vain when personal ambitions take precedence over the duty of public service.
In this early start to the year, 2018 remains with its blank pages that will need to be filled with actions. There is no doubt that Christian Estrosi will make a significant contribution to this. Even if with a few too many panegyrics!
