the Eiffel Tower, a new subject of standoff between Rachida Dati and Anne Hidalgo

The Minister of Culture threatens her political rival, the socialist mayor of Paris, to impose the classification of the Iron Lady as a historic monument. A political confrontation less than two years before the municipal elections.

The same series, new season. After episode 1, where Anne Hidalgo wanted to preserve the Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower, clashing with Rachida Dati who is against, here is episode 2: an ultimatum from the Minister of Culture from the Les Républicains party to the socialist figure, for “to classify” the emblem of the capital as a historical monument.

Today, the Eiffel Tower is only “registered” and no “classified”. Which means that it is not considered a monument in danger, so it does not benefit from a colossal state budget to safeguard it, nor obtain increased surveillance. Changing your status would simply be useless, according to Anne Hidalgo, “today, we protect it very, very well” according to her. Useless, and even costly since several tens of millions of euros from the State’s pockets would be necessary to undertake restoration work. Given the debt, it is not a priority.

Everything is a bit technical, but this pass of arms says a lot about the Parisian political climate with the municipal elections to come in 2026. Only Rachida Dati has declared herself a candidate, while Anne Hidalgo must vote this fall. Demanding this classification from her Ministry of Culture is a way for the right-wing elected official to present herself as the defender of the heritage of all French people, and especially Parisians.

This Eiffel Tower, a national monument, which shone during the Olympic Games, and which is also located in the 7th arrondissement of which Rachida Dati is the mayor. In The Parisianshe goes so far as to threaten the mayor of Paris with force if the latter does not request her classification.

“Rachida Dati tries to exist in Paristackles with franceinfo the team of the socialist mayor, “and that’s proof of his feverishness.” Reference to the dark series suffered in recent months by those who have been eyeing the capital for years. After joining the government, Rachida Dati saw her new Macronist allies lose their footing in the wake of the dissolution. This choice of alliance turned on part of her camp, the Parisian right, before the cold shower for the elected official with the result of the legislative elections. According to a former minister at franceinfo, “too many Parisian constituencies have moved to the left, Rachida Dati understood that Paris was over”. Not to mention the reform of the voting method, the Paris Lyon Marseille law, to change the method of election of the mayor, which could have helped and which today seems abandoned.