Raphaël Cognet does not want to argue. A few days before Pierre Bédier's return to the municipal council, the mayor (Horizons) of Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines) assures that he has “no desire to enter into a personal controversy” with the president (DVD) of the departmental council.
“Besides, the locals don’t talk to me about him. People ask me about everyday things like safety or cleanliness, assures Raphaël Cognet. This is also an important subject and we are working on it a lot. I regularly tour the city and one cannot reasonably say that it is dirty! »
Does he fear the confrontation with his former “mentor”, with his renowned eloquence and venomous words? He brushes it off in one go: “So… That doesn’t scare me at all! I experienced fear when I was threatened during the municipal campaign. Today, if I am afraid of something, it is the quality of the debates. This is why I will change absolutely nothing in my attitude during the municipal councils. »
The mayor of Mantes also does not fail to throw a dig at his opponent. “It is important to remember that if Pierre Bédier returns to the council, it is not because he won an election but because two of his running mates were convicted by the courts. And the fact that he threatens a candidacy doesn't really interest me: on a daily basis, it takes up 0% of my time and my mind! »
Finally, Raphaël Cognet denies ever having requested a subsidy from the Yvelines departmental council, citing in particular the case of the Val-Fourré gymnasium, affected by a fire in June 2023. “But today, it is true, the regional council (chaired by LR Valérie Pécresse) finances me more than the departmental council. »
