The associations of the city of Saint-Raphaël should participate in at least four of the five planned patriotic events. The prefecture requested the withdrawal of this deliberation.
The mayor Les Républicains (LR) of Saint-Raphaël (Var) Frédéric Masquelier wants to condition the payment of subsidies to associations in his municipality to their participation in patriotic demonstrations, a deliberation whose prefecture has just requested the withdrawal.
On September 22, Frédéric Masquelier voted on a consistent deliberation for the associations to “necessarily take part“at four of the five patriotic ceremonies”as a condition of public aid“, he explained Friday, November 18 to AFP. “It is normal that when you are recipient of public money you have some duties“Explained the elected, who presented this new measure on November 10 to the 405 associations of his city. “And no one has objected to this device“, he assured.
The opposition seizes the control of the legality of the prefecture
These five ceremonies are May 8, commemoration of the 1945 victory; August 15, the anniversary of the landing of the Allied forces in Provence in 1944; November 11, for the armistice of 1918; July 14, national holiday; and April 29, national day of remembrance of the victims and heroes of the deportation.
Read alsoLuc Ferry: “The erosion of old-style patriotism”
Opposed to this measure, one of the two elected opposition members of the commune, Pierre Tomasi, an EELV sympathizer, seized control of the legality of the Var prefecture. “An association can only be asked to do what its statute provides“, he told AFP. In response, on October 24, in a letter consulted by AFP, the sub-prefect of Draguignan sent “a graceful appeal» to the mayor of Saint-Raphaël, asking him «the withdrawal of this deliberation“. “I won’t take it off“, assured the mayor on Friday, specifying”be in discussion with the prefecture“.
If the community does notdoes not reserve a favorable response within two monthsAt this request, the prefect can then seize the administrative court, specified the prefecture.
Read alsoAndrew A. Michta: “Our elites must relearn patriotism”
For one of the city’s main associations, the Cercle Boulouris, which targets retirees, “this measure poses a problem not so much in substance but especially in form“, entrusted its president, Bernard Dimon, to AFP. “It is normal to participate in certain patriotic ceremonies, even if until now we have never been formally invited. What shocks us is that we tell the associations + if you don’t come, we will reduce your subsidy +“, he added.
SEE ALSO – “80 billion euros in subsidies, 160 billion euros in loans”: Bruno Le Maire draws up the bill for “whatever the cost”