How far are the days when Emmanuel Macron spent his holidays in Marseille.
The President of the Republic is expected in the Phocaean city this Wednesday afternoon, for a very official visit of two and a half days, during which he must present an ambitious plan intended to breathe new life into "his city of heart. », And the second largest metropolis in France, plagued by the settling of scores linked to drug trafficking, among other problems.
“This is a city in a dire financial situation, which is not up to what it should be.
She has been missing her appointments for a long time, ”regrets her socialist mayor Benoît Payan, 43, interviewed by AFP.
Read alsoInsecurity, schools and housing in poor condition ... Macron's plan for Marseille
The head of state must present his plan "Marseille en grand" Thursday afternoon at the Pharo Palace.
The Élysée affirms that it was co-built with local elected officials, that Paris will not manage the affairs of Marseille.
Accompanied by seven ministers, the president is expected to announce the release of significant financial resources in three sectors in which Marseille is seriously behind schedule: transport, urban renewal and schools.
The situation in many schools is alarming;
the city has launched a vast plan to renovate more than 200 of the city's 444 schools for an amount of 1.2 billion euros, part of which will be covered by the state.
"Before our eyes, murderous and unscrupulous mafias"
Investments are also expected in transport - the network is several decades behind for a population of 900,000 intramural inhabitants, 1.6 million in the metropolitan area - and housing. Three after the collapse of a building in rue d'Aubagne, which had highlighted the unsanitary conditions of many buildings, no large-scale rehabilitation operation has really been launched against substandard housing.
The Head of State will not be able to evade the blackboard of insecurity and drug trafficking.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has promised 300 additional police officers by 2023, in addition to two CRS companies (120 personnel) now permanently based in the city, but Benoît Payan estimates that 800 national police officers are missing.
The Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti announced reinforcements in magistrates.
“When will consciousness be awakened?
», Launched the Archbishop of Marseilles, Mgr Jean-Marc Aveline, on the eve of the visit.
“Before our eyes, murderous and unscrupulous mafias transform the youth of poor neighborhoods into cannon fodder for all kinds of trafficking, weapons, drugs, prostitution, etc.
“, He accused.
Read alsoSerial settlements of accounts: in Marseille, a worrying context of insecurity
Several right-wing figures denounced this Wednesday "insecurity" in Marseille, and the poverty of the means granted to the city.
The "current power has not taken the measure of the level of insecurity in the country", "not only in Marseille," said Michel Barnier on LCI.
The former Brexit negotiator for the EU, candidate for the right-wing primary for the presidential election, pleaded that "there is still time", "we must have a firm hand".
More critical of the government, RN spokesperson Laurent Jacobelli denounced “three days of agitation (which) will not make us forget four years of inaction”.
"It's a show off" he lambasted on France Info.
Like Jean-Christophe Lagarde (UDI), Stéphane Le Foll or Martine Aubry (PS), he castigated the political intentions of Emmanuel Macron, eight months before the presidential election.
