Nicknamed “Château Macron”, the International City of the French Language is not unanimously accepted in Villers-Cotterêts

This is one of the major cultural projects of candidate Emmanuel Macron in 2017: the International City of the French Language. It was inaugurated on Monday October 30 in Villers-Cotterêts (Aisne) within the castle, just renovated, where François I signed the ordinance making French the official language of the country, in 1539.

An inauguration with a political dimension, because this is a Macronist project which is seeing the light of day in a city led by the National Rally. The approximately 10,000 inhabitants are divided. Lucie is a shopkeeper in the city center: “It’s a fairly sleepy town. There aren’t many traders, so we would like it to revitalize the town and bring tourism,” she hopes.

It is not the same enthusiasm for Charles-Alexandre. When we talk to him about the castle, he replies: “Château Macron, we’re going to call it that. A large majority of people in Villers-Cotterêts do not agree with everything that is happening. We arrive at 210 million euros, that’s what doesn’t work. not. We could have put this money elsewhere”regrets this resident.

The municipality, between enthusiasm and restraint

The municipality is led by the National Rally: “The project is eminently a political project of Emmanuel Macron”, breath Jocelyn Designy. The former deputy mayor and new deputy is convinced that the president wanted to prove to RN voters that the State was there for them: “The expected effects do not live up to its ambitions since today, the more we advance in this project, the more the voters of Villers-Cotterêts vote for the National Rally.”

“[Emmanuel Macron] despised the Caudrésians since he took them for imbeciles, illiterates, as we could read in the various newspapers.”

Jocelyn Designy

at franceinfo

But the mayor of Villers-Cotterêts, Franck Briffaut, assures that he has not slowed down the presidential project “Contrary to what he expected, we went out of our way to support this project in every way we could.” The local opposition does not have the same vision and speaks of a mayor who drags his feet, in particular to pay for the development of a real parking lot.

Today, in any case, everyone is happy with the result: former Renaissance MP Jacques Krabal, who was one of the promoters of the project, hopes the Cité de la francophonie will change mentalities: “For example, there is an incubator and artificial intelligence project around the French language and European languages. When you learn several foreign languages, you are more open to the world, you are less afraid. So I think that it is a political tool, not only for small electoral calculations, but also to change the thinking and outlook of our residents.” A vision that Emmanuel Macron should also defend in his inauguration speech.