Le Figaro Nice
An order for a controversial police intervention, a media trial relocated to Lyon, and now, a controversial appointment.
The city of Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) formalized, Thursday in a press release, the arrival of Rabah Souchi as deputy director of its municipal police.
Previously head of the public roads unit at the national police, the commissioner appears in the dock in the context of the Geneviève Legay affair, the name of this “yellow vest” seriously injured during a demonstration in the Riviera capital following of a police charge, on March 23, 2019. The police officer is being prosecuted for “complicity in violence by a person holding public authority”.
It was he who had given the order for this muscular intervention in order to carry out a dispersal and throwing this demonstrator to the ground during this forbidden but rather calm gathering on Place Garibaldi.
The 73-year-old activist from the “Attac” association remained unconscious, suffering from skull fractures and broken ribs.
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Judgment delivered on March 8
Originally from Hauts-de-France, Rabah Souchi, 54, will take office on February 12, becoming number 2 behind Jérôme Marcenac, who remains the boss of the Nice “PM”.
He will settle down before knowing the judges' decision, scheduled for March 8.
The Lyon public prosecutor's office had requested a six-month suspended prison sentence against him following two days of closely-attended hearings.
The rumor of his arrival among the 450 Nice agents had been circulating in Nice for several months.
Rabah Souchi's candidacy had been accepted by the city and its mayor, Christian Estrosi (Horizons), on September 28, pending confirmation of the secondment requested from the Ministry of the Interior and the opinion of the ethics committee.
This potential arrival had already been contested by the elected representative of the opposition Reconquête!, Philippe Vardon, or even the communist movement of the Alpes-Maritimes, pointing out both the career, the personality and the ethics of Rabah Souchi.
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Two other recruitments
Nice town hall also announced two other recruitments.
That of François Bertrand, former deputy director general of Territories and Mobility of the department of Essonne, as deputy director of services, alongside Bastien Nespoulous.
Florent-Serge Stora, former director of European and international relations for the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, becomes director of international relations for Nice and its metropolis.
New adjustments around Christian Estrosi at the dawn of a turbulent mid-term.
In its press release, the municipality thus praised the appointments of
“high-level executives to carry out the priorities set [...] and lead the major projects in progress”
but also with a view to various deadlines such as the arrival of the Tour du France , this summer, and the Ocean Summit in June 2025.