“I am the mayor of Montpellier… _I am a free mayor!_“ Thursday evening, the presentation of the candidate “municipal, departmental and regional majority” in the second constituency of Hérault turned to the entry into resistance of the socialist mayor Michaël Delafosse. At his side, two other local figures of the PS: Carole Delga, the president of the Occitanie region, and Kléber Mesquida, the president of the department of the Herald. Three voices in unison to mark their opposition to the alliance under discussion between the Socialist Party and insubordinate France for the legislative elections.
First gesture of opposition: triple support for a candidate “of the territory” in the second district of Hérault (the popular districts to the west of Montpellier). In this sector which runs from La Paillarde to Plan Cabane, Fatima Bellaredj will therefore face a candidate from the Popular Ecological and Social Unionthe alliance negotiated between insubordinate France, Europe ecology the Greens, the Communist Party and in discussions with the Socialist Party.
– Valentine BERTRAND
“I am not from the left of the grub”
A rebellious candidacy, therefore, even a declaration of war with the socialist authorities. Michaël Delafosse hammers it: “I am not from the left of the grub and political apparatuses.” The socialist mayor specifies that he has “no intention of submitting to a _decision taken in Paris which leads to an unholy alliance in Montpellier_.”
A line shared by Carole Delga. The president of the Occitanie region repeated that she could not “csupport an alliance project in which the socialist party (would only obtain) qeu 6 constituencies out of 49 in Occitanie. Of which none in the Hérault. And this while the PS runs the seventh city of France, the department and the region.
“If the PS apparatus wants to decide for Montpellier, it will find me on its way” – Michaël Delafosse
For the mayor of Montpellier as the president of the region, the alliance with rebellious France is impossible without a broad discussion of values. “I have convictions and I do not intend to deny them. As a socialist, I believe in Europe, I fight extremist forms in the democratic debate. On vaccination, for example, we had to be clear rather than cultivate ambiguities, as in Overseas.”, explains Michaël Delafosse. And to conclude:If the PS apparatus wants to decide for Montpellier, it will find me on its way.”
“Rebellious France disqualified in Montpellier”
This discourse of resistance takes on a particular echo within the municipal and metropolitan council of Montpellier. Assemblies in which the PS-EELV majority faces opposition from the We Are group, support from rebellious France. A political situation which resembles an irreparable breach in the words of Michaël Delafosse: “France rebelliousby joining forces with (the billionaire, editor’s note) Mohed Altrad, got disqualified Montpellier. By voting against free transport, she disqualifies herself.”
As for his future within the PS, the mayor of Montpellier does not intend to return his card and “if the socialist apparatus wants to exclude me, good for it”.