François Rebsamen in government, what reactions in Dijon?

One month after leaving Dijon town hall, François Rebsamen joined the government as Minister of Regional Planning and Decentralization. A nomination which does not fail to provoke a reaction. We gave the floor to his allies, his opponents and also to the inhabitants of the city.

“I hope he will be up to the task and the function as he was in Dijon.” At least the tone is set. In the city of Dukes, the appointment of François Rebsamen to the post of Minister of Regional Planning and Decentralization is obviously causing a lot of talk.

On the one hand, the people of Dijon are delighted for the man who was their mayor for almost 22 years. “I like him. He’s going to take care of us even better. He’s always done it well”; “Like all Dijon residents, I am happy to see that a minister is from Dijon, it is a political honor. I think he will make a good minister because of his personality, and he has the experience.”As a former resident of Dijon, I see that the city has changed a lot for the better. If he does the same thing in government, great.”

On the other hand, some are more doubtful. As a reminder, François Rebsamen remains president of Dijon Métropole despite his entry into the government of François Bayrou. “He left Dijon to supposedly concentrate in Dijon metropolis. It's not crazy, I think. We need an end to the accumulation of mandates.”

READ ALSO: From Dijon town hall to the Bayrou government: François Rebsamen, new Minister of Regional Planning and Decentralization

An opinion shared by the opposition. Emmanuel Bichot, municipal councilor for the Republicans in the city of Dijon, judges that this appointment will remove François Rebsamen from the Dijonnais. “It's more of a disappointment and a feeling of abandonment. A month ago, he left his position as mayor, saying he wanted to be more available to the metropolis. The people of Dijon feel doubly abandoned. We have the impression that he is moving a little further away from the Dijonnais because he will have much less time to take care of them.”estimates the president of Agir pour Dijon.

The former mayor is going to have a lot of presents under the tree. For the people of Dijon, it's more like a hangover.

Emmanuel Bichot

Opposition municipal councilor in the City of Dijon

For Catherine Hervieux, MP 2^e Côte-d'Or constituency of the ecology and social group, François Rebsamen's entry into Matignon is far from trivial. “Is thinks that this is a way for him to regain leadership in Dijon, the metropolis and the Côte-d'Or following the legislative elections in 2024 which saw all the Macronist candidates swept away in the department.”

If Océane Godard, representative of the 1^re constituency of Côte-d'Or, has difficulty understanding the nomination of Gérald Darmanin or Bruno Retailleau, she says she is confident about that of François Rebsamen. The New Popular Front MP believes that he will bring nuance to this government team. “I know him well, I know he is a man of values ​​and responsibilities. Its current strength is to embody compromise. We deeply need it right now. I have confidence in him.”

READ ALSO: François Rebsamen hands over after 22 years at town hall: a look back at his 12 jobs at the head of Dijon

Same story with Nathalie Koenders, who replaced François Rebsamen at the head of Dijon town hall a few weeks ago. A decision in no way premeditated, assures the councilor. “Do you really think that we knew that there was going to be a motion of censure against this government, that at the end, it would be François Bayrou who would be prime minister and that he would then ask François Rebsamen? In politics, you have to be several steps ahead, but you're not a soothsayer or magician either.”