Like an air of "Philippe Blues" among the 160 local elected officials gathered this Friday, September 25 in the morning in Angers (Maine-et-Loire).
Edouard Philippe was also the "guest star" of this raout of the "Republic of Mayors", an assembly of elected officials mainly from the center-right and coming from all over France.
The event took place in the Saint-Jean attics, a large building listed as historical monuments, with pretty stone walls.
The opportunity for these mayors, departmental councilors or even MEPs to discuss their experience of the health crisis.
All the round tables were closed to the public and the former Prime Minister did not say a word to the press, neither on his arrival nor on his departure, under a graying sky.
A time that invites a certain nostalgia, when the participants evoke his last months spent at Matignon.
"Edouard has this experience in the field, he feels things and he has never lost contact with elected officials, which inevitably served during the health crisis" of the Covid-19, praises the mayor of Valenciennes, Laurent Degallaix (UDI ).
“At the time of confinement and the start of deconfinement, we had a lot of contradictory injunctions.
Edouard Philippe had this ability to clarify the speech ”, adds Ronan Loas, municipal councilor of Ploemeur (Morbihan).
The Breton elected official, various centers, notably keeps in mind the ban on reopening the beaches, against which he fought after several colleagues, finally winning his case with the Prime Minister.
"Measures without consultation, that does not work"
No question for them to strangle his successor Jean Castex.
Nevertheless, some criticisms of the current government emerge in the hollow, since the shock restrictions announced Wednesday evening, including the total closure of bars and restaurants in Marseille from Saturday.
“Political”, “unilateral” and “unfair” decision thundered many elected officials from Marseille, with whom the government nevertheless claims to have “concerted”.
“Measures decided at national level, without consultation, that does not work.
Of course, the State must act if the elected officials do not play the game, but by first seeking to find a solution.
For example, in Marseille, by adapting the closing times or the type of restaurants concerned, ”said Olivier Richefou, president of the departmental council of Mayenne.
The host of the day, Christophe Béchu, tempers.
“I have a lot of admiration for those who are in charge today.
It's only been three months that there is a new tenant in Matignon, ”says the mayor of Angers, smiling, going out to smoke a cigarette after the intervention of his friend Edouard Philippe.
Once again mayor of Le Havre in Seine-Maritime, he took advantage of his speech of about an hour to detail with "humility" several lessons from the crisis, including "remain calm", "admit that we do not know when this is the case ”, stressing the need to make the various measures taken“ socially acceptable ”.
"Especially since the health crisis is perhaps not over", supports those around him.
"See you soon !"
So many elements that seem to have convinced even the most skeptical in the audience.
On March 14, Pierre-Yves Douet had found it absurd to announce at the same time the closure of bars the same evening and… the maintenance of the first round of municipal elections the next day.
But the young mayor of the small town of Louresse-Rochemenier (Maine-et-Loire) seems to have been convinced by the explanations of Edouard Philippe.
“He explained his approach to us and I was able to understand it: on the one hand, the restaurants had to be closed because the health situation was getting really too complicated.
On the other hand, postponing the elections could have passed for a denial of democracy, ”he says now, just before going to share a lunch cocktail with his colleagues.
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Much applause in the room, Edouard Philippe was satisfied with a "see you soon" by getting into the sedan with driver at the end of the meeting.
A little earlier, he concluded his speech behind closed doors with a vibrant: "See you next September in Le Havre!"
"Seven months before the presidential election, a possible platform to make your voice heard.
