Mayor of Bagnols-sur-Cèze since 2008, former member of the Socialist Party, Jean-Yves Chapelet is releasing his first book entitled “Mayor’s Notebook”. In around a hundred pages, the Gard official describes his daily life as mayor. The opportunity for Le Réveil du Midi to discuss with the councilor who, despite the threats and difficulties inherent to the local mandate, remains deeply attached to his function. Immerse yourself in the mayor’s daily life.
Work overload, violence and threats, loneliness, low compensation… Many mayors are throwing in the towel. Already last year, the association of mayors of France sounded the alarm, the resignation of our city councilors reaching an unprecedented level. According to the latter and according to figures for 2023, nearly 1,300 mayors have resigned since the last municipal elections in 2020. Many municipal councilors have made the same choice.
After the death of young Nahel, killed on June 27, 2023 by a police officer during a refusal to comply in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), France is experiencing major urban riots. A week of heightened violence during which town halls and elected officials were targeted. And Bagnols-sur-Cèze, a small Gard commune of 19,000 inhabitants, is not spared. On the night of July 1 to 2, 2023, a group of around thirty young people damaged the building and tried to set it on fire.
Both psychologist and confidant […] and scapegoat
More recently, on March 4, the Paris administrative court validated the expulsion of the imam of Bagnols-sur-Cèze, Mahjoub Mahjoubi. The summary judge considered in fact that he had deliberately made discriminatory remarks against Jews and women in sermons delivered on February 2, 9 and 16. In light of this court decision, and in view of a context marked by significant tensions, here again, the mayor is targeted. Certainly, but Jean-Yves Chapelet assures us: being mayor “is the most beautiful mandate”. Present on all fronts, “at the same time psychologist, confidant, social worker, firefighter on duty and scapegoat”, the chief magistrate wishes here and in a few pages, to explain his profession, to tell his daily life, “these little stories of a mayor equal to men and women.”
You announce the publication of your first book, “Carnet de maître”, what is the genesis of this work?
In fact, I’ve had this little book in mind for years. Let’s first clarify that I am a child of Lavoisier! Indeed, I am a retired chemical engineer. So, all my life, I have written test reports in my laboratory notebooks. Over the years, in order to make these documents less boring, I have gotten into the habit of embellishing them, apart from the weighing tables, dilution calculations, etc., with comments on life and the surprises arriving in the different laboratories where I worked. A routine that I kept in town hall! That’s why it’s called “Mayor’s Notebook”. Since 2008, I have recorded in small spiral notebooks the anecdotes but also the comic or dramatic events encountered during my three mandates. I keep these notes carefully in a drawer in my desk, just like my lab notebooks from long ago.
It is also, in view of a distrust towards the political world, whether local or national, to concretely explain your role and your function?
We often see the mayor as the representation of absolute power in a city, but the reality is quite different. It is often made up of small encounters and little things which, due to the discretion of the mandate, are not necessarily reported. When I meet the youngest in our nursery or primary schools, at the moment when an exchange begins between them and me, I have to quickly define the role of mayor. Very quickly, they asked me a lot of questions: what is a mayor? What is it used for ? Etc.
The first local link in the Republic, far from being the weak link
The reason for this little book is also this: it allows us to address young and old alike in order to explain this function of the mayor. So, throughout the pages, you will find all that: memories of weddings through anecdotes concerning the reggae festival, without forgetting the management of floods… I also discuss the place of the mayor in the commune, the first local link of the Republic, far from being the weak link.
The mayor’s mandate is characterized by numerous difficulties: low compensation, work overload, violence… How do you view this situation?
As you are interviewing me, I am wearing an emergency call system on my wrist. Today I am threatened and I am therefore part of a program to protect elected officials. The minister, as you know, expelled the imam of Bagnols-sur-Cèze, Mahjoub Mahjoubi and I find myself today in a complex situation. Particularly with the mosque which is located in municipal buildings. After a vote in the municipal council, I am in the process of recovering the said buildings.
I would say that we must above all have a tough skin and face human stupidity
However, whether they come from the extreme left, the extreme right or from Muslim fundamentalists, the threats are coming… The mayor that I am is a good target. The threats are diverse but I can’t say much more. This is also the role of mayor. When I was asked, during my first term, the qualities required to be mayor, I replied: you need to know about finances, urban planning and culture. Today, to the same question I would say that we must above all have tough skin, face human stupidity and that is already complicated. But, every morning when I get up, I am aware that I am above all at the service of the people of Bagnolais. Nothing obliges me to be mayor.
In light of this situation, do you understand the increase in cases of resignation among local elected officials? Have you, yourself, considered throwing in the towel?
You know, I have collected a multitude of anecdotes in my notebooks. Some have already found their place in “Mayor’s Notebook”, but I am already thinking about the theme of the next collection! The introductory question of the second book will be: What motivates you to run for mayor? So, of course, I understand the decision of certain mayors to end their mandate, but I believe that the most important thing is the initial motivation. If you go there for the wrong reasons, you can only be disappointed. Do you want to be elected? Ask yourself the right question. The office of mayor is the most beautiful mandate, I assure you. Far from questions of money, ambition, power or ego, I am in contact with citizens and that is exceptional.
It’s the most beautiful mandate, I assure you.
You were a member of the Socialist Party for years, what is your view on the undeniable rise of the extreme right in France and the progressive network of this party in the Gard department?
I started in the Socialist Party at the age of 17 alongside Édith Cresson in Châtellerault. It’s been six years since I left this party. But I’m going to use a famous quote in my own way: every morning when I don’t shave, I know my struggle! I managed to unite around me people from the right and the left, personalities from civil society and humanists… I am here on the front line and my fight in Bagnols-sur-Cèze is simple: fight the extreme right . I am fully aware of the challenges posed by its rise, particularly in our department of Gard. But I have not forgotten the far left as well, who for some time have been making comments which, to be honest, are beyond me.
All profits from the sale of the book will be donated to the AgirABCD association?
It is a national association with a local branch. Almost all members are retirees who help the weakest populations.
It’s both a real Source of pride and a great revenge!
In Bagnols-sur-Cèze, two areas emerge: academic support and learning to read. And to be honest, this book is also like revenge for me. Suffering from dyslexia and dysorthography, I was one of those kids who, on Monday morning, made 30 mistakes during dictation. So coming to the aid today of an association that is fighting against this is both a real Source of pride and a great revenge!
