IT STAYS BETWEEN US The indiscretions of the week

Zigzag. Politics is so cruel that it holds both pleasant and disappointing surprises. Learn from failure and reassure yourself during victories. Before that, it's a long way to get satisfaction. In the capital of the Cévennes, some politicians have long dreamed of one thing: the defeat of Max Roustan. Then, they got used to the idea and found a new political opponent, his foe, Christophe Rivenq. But the student is now on the verge of taking up the torch. And as if by magic, the courtiers flocked. The boss of the Alès agglomeration is not a loser of the year. He already has in mind the future of the territory for the next decade and some ideas among men and women to support him in this adventure… In Nîmes, his counterpart in the Metropolis is having almost the same experience. It is a form of repetition of the Senim affair where loyal elected officials had already shared the positions, prophesying certain political death. The Court of Cassation in Paris and then the Court of Appeal in Montpellier decided otherwise… In 2025, another pair of challenges will be played out. This involves ensuring the succession of Jean-Paul Fournier, the mayor of Nîmes. The latter, a fine tactician, has long blown hot and cold. In recent days, it has become a little lighter. Like last Friday, in our columns in which he invited Julien Plantier, Franck Proust's potential competitor, to be patient for the next term… It had already been a few weeks since the boss of the Colisée felt that the tide was turning in his favor at the considering the number of requests received to meet him. For two days, not many people have been hiding. SMS, calls are numerous. Including loyalists of the first deputy. Teddy Maurel, the former chief of staff of Jean-Paul Fournier, pledged allegiance this week in the office of the president of Nîmes métropole. Offering his services for the campaign in exchange for a future position… Damn astonishing when we remember that the same political advisor was the first to hope for a conviction of Franck Proust in order to quickly get rid of him and make way for his former friend , the first deputy… Another elected official also wanted to see the new messiah. The deputy in charge of security in Nîmes. He first tried to find a path for union before recalling that he was at the service of the one who would be chosen to continue his action at the head of the Nîmes municipal police… But not everyone understood that Franck Proust did not yet suffer from amnesia. He who says nothing, but consults, listens, observes, is not fooled by anything. When he has decided to say more about his intentions, it is because he will have already composed his team… A troop of true faithful who did not abandon him in the most difficult moments of his political life… And above all , ready for battle… Because after having made everyone agree on the right, we will then have to convince the people of Nîmes that Franck Proust deserves the same destiny as Jean-Paul Fournier. And that’s yet another story…

Sin of pride? At the National Rally, we observe with relish the beginnings of the municipal elections in Nîmes. Yoann Gillet, apparently stung by our articles announcing the probable candidacy of MP Sylvie Josserand, is finally coming out of the woods. According to our information, the parliamentarian decided to wait for all the other candidates to present themselves before him. Like a rockstar, he plans to launch hostilities from September 2025, when the RN du Gard federation of which he is president returns to school. And since happiness never comes alone, Jordan Bardella, the president of the party, should be there. This is in an ideal world for Gillet… In real life, his procrastination could, on the contrary, cost him some precious points. To declare yourself last out of a sin of pride is to forget that the far right has never scored big in Nîmes… Adieu. Is there panic on board at the Gard Departmental Council as some say after the announcement of the departure of the retired Director General of Services? “ This is a hard blow for the president, because Thierry Blacard was a pole of stability… », Explains a departmental elected official. “ No one is irreplaceable in a community, everyone knows that », retorts an administrator… To ensure the interim, the name of Denis Barral, deputy general director in charge of mobility and logistics, comes up insistently… Recruitment is launched at the same time. To be continued.

Half fig, half grape. This week, Valérie Rouverand, the president of Renaissance dans le Gard, applied for mayor of Nîmes in 2026. Since then, there have been numerous comments… “ Nobody talked about it apart from four articles in the press… » or even « She got retirees Claude Rols and François Lalanne out of mothballs, that's not a dream… » Fortunately, other comments were more pleasant: “ It all looks very serious and credible. » Or again: “ She is right to take the plunge and believe in her chances. » « From the outset, she kept a place for Julien Plantier since she announced that she did not want to run the town hall and the Agglo. » The next 14 months will inevitably be very long, but the Centrist has a few cards in hand. Next month, former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal will come to present him with the insignia of the Legion of Honor in Nîmes. A key moment to mark the spirits at the start of the campaign…

Loss of influence. Christophe Madalle, the general director of services to the city of Nîmes, seems to be losing more and more influence with the mayor. Latest episode to date: a tailor-made municipal decree to allow the first deputy to sign any official document related to town planning. Despite the arguments put forward by this faithful collaborator of the mayor, categorical refusal from the latter. “ He's not dead. Why should he give up his signature? », asks an elected official. “ Because the mayor has been absent in recent weeks and certain files have remained unnecessarily blocked… », Explains another. If the mayor were to be absent again, these files would still remain absent, apparently… Bruno Retailleau soon in Nîmes. The Minister of the Interior should finally come to visit Nîmes in a few weeks. Requested by Jean-Paul Fournier in the context of the future Pissevin police station, Bruno Retailleau could kill several birds with one stone at the beginning of March. First, by taking stock with the mayor on this thorny issue. By establishing an initial assessment of the integrated security contract signed a year ago. Finally, by going to the Nîmes Civil Security base with the president of Nîmes Métropole to inaugurate the B42, a building dedicated to start-ups engaged in innovation and research for European Civil Security… The opportunity also to officially launch the transport police of Nîmes metropolis? 24h chrono. Responsible for rebuilding the Les Républicains party and formalizing a right-wing offer by 2027, Laurent Wauquiez formed a Taskforce including Franck Proust, the president of Nîmes métropole. A working meeting is taking place next week where recommendations will be discussed concerning the name of the training, its territorial organization and its statutes. The Nîmes man already has some ideas in mind which he will submit next Wednesday during a return trip to Paris. He will take the opportunity to meet the new Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, from the ranks of the right… On the table: the western bypass of Nîmes and the financing of the third track of the Nîmes-Pont du Gard station. Franck Proust does not want to waste any more time on this issue after opposition from the communists of the Region and Nîmes who prefer to leave the people of Nîmes and the inhabitants of the urban area stranded. Franck Proust wants to offer travelers, as quickly as possible, a sustainable and efficient solution with fast shuttles between the station and the city center of Nîmes… We copy the neighbors. As part of the renovation of the Halles de Nîmes, the City is seeking inspiration from the successes of other cities. Thus, the mayor of Nîmes asked his municipal councilor Christophe Pio and his chief of staff, Antoine Roger, to go to Béziers to visit the completely renovated covered market… Indeed, the mayor of Béziers Robert Ménard succeeded in his bet . The new Halles de Béziers were inaugurated with great fanfare last November after several months of closure for work. Amount of investment: 20 million euros. The 1000 m² space has since been managed by a private company specializing in this type of business… The question remains whether it will be possible in Nîmes to imitate our Hérault neighbors? Nothing is less certain… Analyst Tebib. In Paris this week, the president of USAM Nîmes-Gard was interviewed by two senators, including Laurent Lafon, president of the Senate Committee on Culture, Education, Communication and Sport. It is as president of the association of professional sports leagues that Nîmes was able to share his view and his analysis on the future of professional sport in France… Faced with national political turbulence and the incessant change of Minister of Sports, professional clubs are particularly worried. Not to mention the drop in TV rights which endangers all French sport. Field man David Tebib was able to give his recommendations, let's hope they are followed… Zaouche launches the Nîmes-Gard Business Club. Next Wednesday, January 22 at the end of the day at Sodira-Mercedes in Nîmes, Nîmes entrepreneur Evrard Zaouche is relaunching the business club for businesses in Nîmes and Gard. A national franchise, this new network of companies will receive exceptional national personalities throughout the year who will speak about their professional careers. But as the president explains: “ I want people to come to do business, not just participate in a meal. And we will put all our energy into promoting the local economy, throughout the Gard. This is also what I have been defending for a long time as an elected official at the CCI Gard. » See you next Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to find out more. Entrance is free, but registration is required. For companies interested in joining the club: meet IC Duel at the top for the first! In a week, the Objectif Gard Club returns every day at 12:30 p.m. for the Midday Club and at 6 p.m. for the Evening Club. For the first of the year 2025, don't miss at the end of the day, Monday January 27, 2025, live, the first major municipal debate in Nîmes with two personalities who will be on the starting line in 2026! They agreed to debate around four themes which dictate current affairs in Nîmes in recent years. It will therefore be a question of insecurity, the future of Nîmes Olympique, ecological transition and economic development. They will also ask each other directly questions that annoy each other in turn… And to discover the names of these personalities, see you next Sunday in this same section… Until then, have a good week everyone!