By Maëlys Dolbois
Published on 17 Feb 21 at 7:06
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A Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis), the tea towel burns between Sylvine Thomassin (PS), former mayor and his successor Stéphen Hervé (LR). The latter was elected in the last municipal elections, with a difference of 64 votes.
Since then, the atmosphere in the town has been tense. And for good reason, the losing candidate of the elections decided to lodge an appeal to cancel the vote. It’s done. The Montreuil administrative tribunal ruled on Friday February 12, 2021 and annulled the election result.
Key testimonials?
Contacted by News-Seine-Saint-Denis, the current municipality indicates that an appeal will be filed with the Council of State to contest the decision of the Montreuil court. “We respect the decision but we do not share the conclusions. The Bondynois chose during the second round. The decision of the Council of State will be rendered in several months.
For Sylvine Thomassin, “these last days are a shame for democracy and for Bondy”. The former mayor deplores the context and the length of the proceedings. During this time, she decided to fight to prove that the elections were “rigged”.
“I collected many testimonies to create a complementary brief. These make it possible to shed light on all the elements which prove that there are seats which were irregularly acquired. This solid case was presented to the court, ”she adds.
These testimonies do not worry the current mayor who says he is serene. “The testimonies come from sympathizers of Ms. Thomassin, relatives of the PS or even relatives of Ms. Thomassin’s running mate. It works in our favor, ”explains Stéphen Hervé. “This once again shows the vengeful spirit that has driven Ms. Thomassin from the start.”
“It is a tissue of lies and slander”
The grievance retained by the Montreuil court to have this election annulled is that of the distribution of a leaflet containing a false article from the Parisian. In the columns of the leaflet, two complaints against Sylvine Thomassin for “offenses of illegal taking of interests, passive influence peddling, embezzlement of public funds, complicity and concealment of these offenses”.
However, for the court, the distribution of this leaflet on the eve of the second round of the elections did not allow Sylvine Thomassin “to respond usefully to this new element of the electoral controversy relating to her personal integrity”.
“It is a web of lies and slander. I could not react to the facts that are written. It is a conspiracy and triple punishment for me. I want to be cleared in this matter.”
She denounces the draw 45,000 copies of this leaflet and a massive distribution in the city a few hours before the election. The current mayor does not comment on the number of draws and indicates “do not [en] cause “.
The accomplice police station?
Finally, in her appeal, Sylvine Thomassin had also pointed out a system of false proxies. “There was an arrangement with the police station that is not possible otherwise”. According to her, vulnerable inhabitants of Bondy would have trusted “agents” and would have given their identity documents so that powers of attorney be established in favor of Stéphen Hervé. “On average, there are between 180 and 200 powers of attorney in the municipality, there were 410, that raises questions. I have testimonials ”.
This was mentioned at the hearing at the Montreuil court and according to the former mayor “it will be taken up by the Council of State”.
For his part Stéphen Hervé confides that this point has been “swept away by the rapporteur and by the judge« .
“I am outraged that Ms. Thomassin calls into question a sovereign structure such as the police station”.
“Mafia methods” denounced
The electoral campaign is therefore not over in the city of 54,000 inhabitants and the tone is mounting. A heavy atmosphere that leaves traces. “I am serene, I am calm. My family was devastated by the end of the campaign. I’ve been in politics for 40 years and I’ve never seen this: organized fraud. I will lead this last fight ”, confides Sylvine Thomassin.
She wants this ballot to be “clean” to create a “clean Republic”. She denounces “mafia methods” during these elections before adding: “if it had been honestly won, I would have applauded, it was not the case. When you cheat, you can’t win ”.
The mayor, Stéphen Hervé, defends himself: “it’s absurd to say things like that given the atmosphere. In 20 years of politics, I have never had recourse to these procedures and I would never have recourse to them ”.
He wonders why proceedings are not taken to court if “Mafia methods” are to be denounced.
A new election?
An appeal was therefore filed with the Council of State. Following his decision, it will be decided whether or not there is a new election in Bondy. In the meantime, the blows are exchanged and the climate continues to tense.
A few days ago, a majority elected official was beaten and strangled in the hall of the town hall. He received 8 days of ITT and complaints were filed. And that’s not all, in total, fifteen complaints have been filed by elected officials who feel “threatened, attacked, harassed, harassed …”.
Tuesday February 16, 2021, Alain Ramadier (LR), deputy for Seine-Saint-Denis, addressed the Prime Minister on this subject during a meeting in the Assembly. “An elected official was attacked in Bondy in the exercise of his functions, unfortunately this attack is not the first. Since taking office last June, in a tense local context, the new elected members of Bondy have been victims of many misdeeds. The list is long, far too long… This list should not exist. “
AT #Bondy, elected officials have been subjected to attacks, intimidation and harassment for months. Everywhere in France, these acts are multiplying. This can not go on.
I called this afternoon on @gouvernementFR to the@AssembleeNat on the occasion of #QAG. #DirectAn pic.twitter.com/x1lIzCk0uO
– Alain Ramadier (@alainramadier) February 16, 2021
Would the atmosphere be ready to explode? Everything suggests, but in the meantime, no one gives up in the face of the political issue.
“This campaign has been terrible, since the second round it’s very hard. It was the mandate of the next generation with young people, I’m doing it for them. I’m not resigned, I’m ready to go. I want to give back. this clean city “.
The mayor, Stéphen Hervé, concludes: “all this distracts us from our primary missions”.
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