According to an Odoxa poll, 84% of French people would not wish to be mayor of their city. What animates these elected? Johanna Rolland (PS) in Nantes and Jean-Pierre Bernard (DVD) in Mesquer tell their daily life.
She is 40 years old. He is 72 years old. She is completing her first term. He completes his third. It manages a metropolitan administration of 8,000 agents with a budget of 1.3 billion euros. Its commune counts 1980 inhabitants, 33 agents, and turns with 4.2 million euros. Johanna Rolland (PS) and Jean-Pierre Bernard (DVD) are mayors of Nantes and Mesquer.
The first will be in March 2020. The second has not yet formalized anything. What interest do they find in the mayor's mandate, while 84% of the French people questioned by Odoxa would not see themselves assuming the job? Because I like people and my commune, answers Jean-Pierre Bernard. "There are no big and small mayors. We all share the same fiber, says Johanna Rolland. To give 90% of our weeks, you have to like that. "
"People are respectful but more and more demanding"
The elected Nantes starts her days by phone around 8 am, after having dropped her two children at school. Jean-Pierre Bernard arrives at the town hall at 9 am, and greets his agents. The evening ? The Mayor of Mesquer is trying to organize meetings not too late. He owes it to his family, but also to his municipal team. Women will leave the board next year. It's more complicated for women to get involved, he observes. There are often children to manage, work.
Johanna Rolland never hangs up before 9 pm and pushes willingly until midnight: When we want to go to meet the inhabitants, we must be available at times when they do not work. She participates in apartment meetings: "These are exchanges without filter, essential to feel the city".
To be elected from the field, you have to be all-terrain, trumpets Johanna Rolland. I can meet an official of a European capital and within an hour, be challenged by locals on a sidewalk that does not go. We owe them the same attention.
"We are challenged for the noise of the rooster", smiles Jean-Pierre Bernard
We are challenged for the noise of the rooster, smiles Jean-Pierre Bernard. People are respectful but more and more demanding: that's it and right now. The apostle remembers July holidaymakers in Mesquer: There was tension, aggression. We had never seen that. No weariness? It happens to me, when I see friends going on a trip ... "How much does he perceive? € 1,000 per month. Johanna Rolland is 6 000 € (with her allowance to the metropolis).
Do not do this for the money, or for a halo above the head, blows Jean-Pierre Bernard, who is also elected departmental. I like this feeling of being helpful, the friendliness. In November 2017, he wrote to Emmanuel Macron to question him about the realities of mayors. The President of the Republic answered him. "His gaze on mayors has evolved. But we always feel that it's hard to be heard up there. "
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