The administrative court of Toulon validated the choice of the mayor of Saint-Raphaël, Frédéric Masquelier (Les Républicains), to oblige associations receiving subsidies to participate in patriotic commemorations, the Var commune announced on Tuesday.
Denouncing
“an interference in freedoms of association and conscience”
, the Var prefecture opposed this measure adopted in September 2022 by the right-wing majority.
But in a judgment rendered on January 26 consulted by AFP, the administrative court considered that the measure favored
“the engagement of associations during events of local public interest”
without violating
“the principle of neutrality”
.
Each year, the city grants a total of more than two million euros to nearly a hundred associations with the most diverse activities.
In return, their leaders must show their presence on May 8 (victory of 1945), August 15 (landing in Provence in 1944 of allied troops against the Nazis), November 11 (armistice of 1918), July 14 (celebration national) and April 29 (remembrance of the victims of deportation).
“Little effort”
“We are asking for a little effort from those who demand public money
,” Frédéric Masquelier explained to AFP.
You have mayors who condition their subsidies on ecological activity.
It's a choice.
We have chosen patriotic activities.”
“We don’t make the call, it works on trust. But we see that the associations are playing the game: we have a lot more people
,” he added.
While the ranks have been increasingly sparse in recent years, the measure has already allowed
“beautiful moments of patriotism”
, rejoiced the LR councilor, whose deputies also risk their delegation in the event of absence.
Thus, half a thousand people made the trip, willingly or not, on November 11.
According to Frédéric Masquelier, this is the first decision of this kind in France.
He who also chairs the community of municipalities formed essentially with Fréjus, led by the National Rally mayor David Rachline, now intends to propose a similar provision within the agglomeration.