The Metropolis of Lyon, led by environmentalists, urgently took legal action on Monday to advance a project for an accommodation center for young migrants in Écully, which Sébastien Michel, the LR mayor, is opposed to.
Like departments elsewhere, the Métropole de Lyon's mission is to accommodate young unaccompanied minors present on its territory. In this context, it decided in 2024 to renovate premises belonging to it in Ecully, which have already welcomed Ukrainian refugees, to transform them into a reception center for 70 young migrants.
But the mayor LR Sébastien Michel denounces “lack of consultation“of Greater Lyon and refuses to give the necessary authorizations.”You can count on me to not give up and continue, every day, to defend the identity of Écully“, he wrote to his constituents in October.
Also read : Center for foreign minors in Ecully: Wauquiez accuses Bernard of “despising” elected officials
To get out of this impasse, the Metropolis on Monday summoned the town hall for summary proceedings, but also the Rhône prefecture, believing that it could have replaced the mayor to issue the authorizations. “The mayor of Écully is playing for time, for eight months nothing has happened, he is preventing the Metropolis from exercising its jurisdiction in matters of emergency accommodation“, argued his lawyer Gilles Le Châtelier before the administrative court.
-This opposition amounts to a “abuse of procedure“comparable to that used several years ago by the town hall of Nice to avoid the opening of a prayer room for Muslims, he further argued.”It is not only a question of welcoming the public, it is a question of child protection, it is a fundamental right that is achieved“, added the lawyer for the Forum Refugees association, which will manage the future reception center.
3,000 unaccompanied minors to be housed in the Metropolis
“Far be it from us to contest a dramatic situation“, replied Me Philippe Schmidt, defender of the commune of Écully, ensuring that security work remained necessary in the premises. Administrative justice must render its decision this Tuesday.
According to the metropolis of Lyon, the number of unaccompanied migrant minors has increased from 1,200 to 3,000 over the last three years in the metropolitan area. The three reception accommodation centers are currently saturated, which generates an additional cost of six million euros in renting hotel rooms.
Related News :