“Our goal is to win the Gard Departmental Council”

Objectif Gard: In what frame of mind are you approaching this new school year?

Yoann Gillet: The RN is in great shape. We went back to school with our activists a few days ago. Several national figures will come here, the news will be rich in the coming weeks. We are also continuing our work started a year ago on the preparation of the next deadlines. Municipal, but not only. We are also starting to work on the Departmental. This last election requires real work of implementation. It is an objective for us to win the Departmental Council of Gard. I remind you that during the 2021 elections, we achieved more than 46-47% in 12 cantons out of 23. We were not close to winning despite the difficult economic situation, and the high abstention rate which weakened our result.

How many members are up to date with their contributions to the Gard RN today?

Since the evening of June 9, with the European elections, we have 800 additional members. We are approaching 3,000 activists in total.

How did you wake up on the evening of the second round of the legislative elections after your fall between the two rounds?

In the Gard, we came out on top by a wide margin, we did the grand slam: six out of six deputies. At the European level, we have two MEPs from Gard. Then, at the national level, we got 11 million votes. The Left bloc with five parties got seven million votes. Macronie got six million votes.

Afterwards, unlike you, the parties were not present in all the constituencies, so proportionally, your figures are not entirely objective…

If you look at the number of votes in the first round, we are well ahead. The political mess on the evening of the first round, to my great surprise, the people of Gard did not let themselves be fooled. The French understood this summer that it was a lie. When France Insoumise makes people vote for Darmanin, Attal. Anarchists from France Insoumise who also win with the votes of the other parties. In the end, there was no common program. So they all lied to the French.

Is there still a bit of disappointment? Jordan Bardella already saw it. You even made the Matignon plan…

You look at the glass half empty, I look at it half full. We have never had so many votes. We have never won so many constituencies. Personally, of course I hoped that we would be on the last step to change people’s lives. But I am convinced that next time, in the event of dissolution, we will win, because we are the only ones with a project of rupture and change for France.

Michel Barnier is at Matignon, indirectly thanks to Marine Le Pen. Are you comfortable with an LR Prime Minister?

Yes, I am comfortable because no one could claim to be at Matignon. Either we do like the Left, we block the institutions, the development of the budget and France. Or we do like us, we are constructive. We let the Prime Minister roll out his roadmap in the fall and we will go in the direction of the texts he proposes if that suits us. Otherwise, we will be fierce opponents. We will ultimately do as we have since 2022.

But if you had to censor the next government, you would have to ally yourself with those you criticize the most: the New Popular Front…

We do what we have to do to protect France. It is not a question of alliance. We want the good of the country. If Michel Barnier does things that are harmful to the country, we will protect the country and activate all the necessary mechanisms.

Back to local news. How did you react after the closure of the Restos du cœur at Chemin-Bas d’Avignon?

We are confirming what I have been denouncing for years. We are in a city, like the country, where there are entire neighborhoods that are no longer in the Republic. It is the delinquents and the dealers who have taken power. The volunteers, the beneficiaries no longer want to live there. It is a catastrophic situation. Time has proven me right: it is the abandonment of the State.

Have you made up your mind to be a candidate in Nîmes in 2026?

There will be an RN candidate in the municipal elections in Nîmes. For the time being, I am a member of parliament for Nîmes. I will make my decision in due course. For the moment, I am observing the situation, I think I will be useful to Nîmes as a member of parliament. I will play a role in 2026, which one, it is up to me to decide…

If in 18 months, you are at the head of the Nîmes town hall or another RN mayor, what will your priorities be?

Security. We can go much further. More municipal police officers, a more advanced video surveillance network. And we need to resume the priorities given to municipal police officers… A much stronger presence on the ground. Furthermore, Nîmes needs ambition. It needs a vision for its economic development. The mayor of Nîmes has made some very fine achievements, he has beautified the city. But we need a new dynamic with city center businesses for example. This also involves urban planning and regional development. The vision of the territory is not good. I think that those who have to manage the future of the city and the development of the territory and urban planning are not up to the challenges.

A final word on the future of transport in the Nîmes metropolitan area. Two visions are in conflict: free transport to promote access for all and to combat the car-only approach, which increases environmental problems… And Franck Proust, who wants to offer transport that is chosen and not imposed…

The current transport system is pretty good. I think we need to be careful, because the transport offer has been reduced and it is dangerous. In my opinion, this is a glaring anomaly. The free everything advocated by the Left, I am fiercely opposed to it. Making the people of Nîmes believe that free everything is possible is false. In any case, for me, it is out of the question to see the Left’s programme in Nîmes, a copy of the one proposed at the national level. It would be a disaster for the people of Nîmes who would see taxes explode.