Daniel Benquet attacks the municipality of Marmande with Forces Marmandaises

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At the head of the association Marmandaise Forces, Martine Calzavarawho has never hidden his ambition to be at the top of the list for the municipal elections from 2026 in Marmande, and who is already surrounded by a team, for the moment associative therefore. With at his side, as honorary president, Daniel Benquetformer mayor of Marmande, defeated in the 2020 municipal elections, and who appeared in great shape on Thursday, September 19, 2024, on the occasion of the first major public meeting of Forces Marmandaises.

In a packed Beyssac hall, Martine Calzavara and Daniel Benquet (who assured that he would not start again in first place, but that he would be there) presented their team and their objectives, giving the floor to an audience that was undoubtedly already a little won over, but also curious, with even the Mayor of Tonneins came with his first assistant. An audience that was not disappointed.

Daniel Benquet wants to “reestablish the truth”

Daniel Benquet spoke at length – finally – about the past. And he did not mince his words about his opponents who took the town hall from him in 2022 and who, since then, have never stopped repeating that he had left the empty town hall coffersLast Thursday, the former mayor wanted to “reestablish the truth”, recalling that he had been “the only mayor of Marmande to have lowered taxes”.

With the report from the Regional Court of Auditors in hand, he spoke of “particularly healthy management”.

It’s not because they say that Benquet ruined the accounts that it’s true: it’s a lie!

He admits: “It’s because of the division that we have achieved this result. I have always had a united spirit, I have done everything to keep the family united. So much so that I wanted a single list for the second round, which was not understood. Today, there really has to be a single group, a single goal, otherwise, we will not get there.” An appeal to Valérie Pérali and Stéphane Francis, who have already positioned themselves for 2026? Nothing was officially declared that evening.

But the attacks on the current municipality were clear: “I still think that when you are elected a bit by chance, you should have a bit of modesty “, “Nothing is happening today about security in Marmande”, “The work had to be done, but in a different way”, “The Agglo? But what possessed the mayor of Marmande to file a complaint against the Agglo?”, “We won’t talk about cleanliness…”, “and the events? There were many events that marked our city: where are they today?”.

I have the impression, today, that Marmande is watching the trains go by, like with the Tour de France. One day, we have to go from being Calimero to being a locomotive, and we’ve had Calimero for four years.

In the room, traders spoke out to complain about the lack of footfall in the city centre, the high rents, the lack of entertainment and… the cobblestones on Place Clemenceau. One shopkeeper even shouted out loud that the mayor urgently needed to resurface the square, with priority given to the elderly and people with reduced mobility who, according to her, no longer come to the city at all.

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