“Mayors are not punching bags”, reacts the delegate president of the association of elected officials Villes de France

“Mayors are not punching bags”, reacted this Wednesday on franceinfo Jean-François Debat, delegate president of the association of elected Cities of France and PS mayor of Bourg-en-Bresse. The government has announced its intention to increase the criminal penalties in the event of attacks against elected officials, after the resignation of the mayor of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins (Loire-Atlantique). “The situation of mayors, of large cities as well as small municipalities is deteriorating”, continues Jean-François Debat, “when it is necessary to apply a regulation, to explain a difficult decision, the degree of aggressiveness has risen very strongly with regard to the mayors”.

“The resignation of the mayor of Saint-Brevin was the trigger for a belated but welcome awareness”.

Jean-Francois Debat

franceinfo

In particular, the government plans to align the penalties for attacks on elected officials with those for attacks on uniformed personnel, but also the creation of a network of more than 3,400 “referents for attacks on elected officials” in police stations and gendarmeries: “It’s always good to take, but it will not solve the cause of the evil”considers Jean-François Debat.

The mayor of Bourg-en-Bresse is waiting “let the work begin” on the issue of rising violence in society: “I myself have sometimes been verbally slapped (…) we are not elected to be insulted.” But “If this plan allows us to open a debate and put a stop to this situation, it will be a good thing”.