Initiator of the “Marseille en grand” plan to make up for the delays in France’s second city, particularly in schools and transport, President Emmanuel Macron ruled out any candidacy for the 2026 municipal elections in an interview published on Sunday in La Tribune and La Provence.
“A rumor is circulating: you could be a candidate for the municipal elections in 2026, even in an ineligible position,” the journalists asked. “Some may have looked at this possibility, but I will not be a candidate – for anything,” replies the head of state. And to add a few days before the arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille: “It is a city for which I have immense affection, which has extraordinary potential, which can bring even more to the country, through its vitality . We have to help Marseille. »
“Things need to move much faster”
In September 2021, Emmanuel Macron announced during a visit to Marseille massive investments by the State – five billion euros – among other things to renovate primary schools in a deplorable state after 25 years of mandate of right-wing mayor Jean -Claude Gaudin, open up poor neighborhoods in the north by developing a public transport network and fight against poor housing. “We must have an obsession, these are results. Schools rebuilt more quickly, more innovative educational projects, swimming pools that we can recreate,” he underlined in the interview.
VIDEO. XXL net operation in Marseille: “82 arrests and 63 police custody”, announces Macron
“Now, in Marseille, things need to go much faster, for all stakeholders to improve the spirit of collaboration, which is not enough,” however challenged Emmanuel Macron. He particularly wanted the skills to be “clarified” between the City, led by the various left-wing mayor Benoît Payan, and the Metropolis of Martine Vassal (right) former deputy of Jean-Claude Gaudin. The Metropolis includes around 90 municipalities in the department and manages, among other things, transport, cleanliness, etc.
“The mayor of Marseille is right to complain when he says that he does not manage the roads for his city. We must give back to cities certain prerogatives, so that residents understand who is doing what, to have less redundancy and waste of public money, and to move forward more quickly on projects,” said the president.
After launching operations in Marseille to combat drug trafficking that he called “XXL” this year, in a city where 49 people were killed in 2023 in wars between drug traffickers, he explains that he wanted to “hit very hard on security issues. “I’m tired of people always talking about this city in a negative way. This city is great. »
