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Violence against elected officials: mayors increasingly victims of attacks
Violence against elected officials: mayors increasingly victims of attacks – (FRANCEINFO)
In 2022, attacks against mayors increased by 32% in France, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior. They are expected to increase by another 15% in 2023, according to forecasts.
Since the start of the year, 2,387 attacks targeting mayors have been recorded. Gregory Delfour, mayor (SE) of Cuxac-d’Aude, a small village in Aude, was the victim of violence last summer. While he was trying to oppose the installation of caravans on a sports field in his town, “In the blink of an eye, 5-6 strong men came, shook me, tore my clothes, threw me against the hedge and made me fall into the ditch”says the chosen one.
The French’s favorite elected officials
The councilor has difficulty understanding this situation and regrets the systematic use of violence. “When I was little, we respected the mayor, we looked up to him”, he confides. According to figures from the Ministry of the Interior, attacks against mayors increased by 32% in 2022 and are expected to increase by another 15% in 2023, according to forecasts. And yet, mayors are the French people’s favorite elected officials.
