Replay. Thursday, June 18, the three candidates qualified for the second round of municipal elections in Thionville (Moselle) met on the set of France 3 Lorraine to debate for thirty minutes. Several themes were discussed. Here’s what to remember.
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In Thionville, the second round of the municipal election takes the form of a triangular. The various center list ” Thionville au Cœur ” of the outgoing mayor Pierre Cuny came in first with 32.9% of the votes, before the various right list ” Thionville the renewal ” of Patrick Luxembourger (23.45%) and the various left list ” Thionville citizens ” by Bertrand Mertz (19.85%)
This Thursday, June 18, 2020, the three candidates found themselves on the set of France 3 Lorraine. A debate centered on the past and which ultimately leaves little room for the future and the candidates’ proposals.
Taxation and finances of Thionville
During this debate, Bertrand Mertz and Pierre Cuny engaged in a verbal joust where each defended the balance of his mandate. A real battle of numbers ensued between the two candidates. Pierre Cuny did not hesitate to shoot red bullets at the former mayor of the city (2008-2014): ”In 2014, when we arrived, we did not need to do a financial audit since we were summoned by the public finance department to tell us that we were on red alert. We were among the 10% of the most indebted citieshe explains.
A frontal attack visibly awaited by his opponent, who drew the heavy artillery to retaliate. A red and blue pattern is even pointed under the nose of the outgoing mayor. ” On the issue of debt, it’s very simple, since 2014 the municipality of Mr. Cuny has been trying to find a catastrophic situation and that I will be responsible for it… I refuse to assume this debt of fifteen million euros since ‘this is the Capucins car park which was requested by Mr Demange … so Mr Cuny which is today the continuation. I fought against the Capuchin project, I voted against … I do not have to assume the cost of an investment that I did not want, well built under my mandate but decided under the municipality Demange against my will’’.
Pierre Cuny also spares Patrick Luxembourger, the unexpected candidate for this campaign and former mayor of Terville: “When I look at the profile of the housing tax in Terville, it was increased in 2001 and 2016. Today, in Terville, the property tax is three and a half points above the property tax of that of Thionville” Patrick Luxembourger, in an Olympian calm, simply answers him in an attempt to discredit him: ”In two years, the debt of the city of Terville will be zero while it was the most indebted city in France. Two years ago, the state finance administration congratulated us for the remarkable work we had done. She even wanted to congratulate me for supporting certain municipalities in their recovery! Try to pretend that I am not a good manager does not seem to me to be a serious matter. In Thionville, the question of responsibility for who did what does not seem very important to me, the question is the future. However, today, when I look at the situation as an experienced technician, the situation is quite serious.’’
Regarding the housing tax, Pierre Cuny announces that he wants to remove it for all Thionville residents if he is seeking a new mandate: ”82% of Thionville residents will no longer pay housing tax at all in November. And in the next three years, the remaining 20% will no longer pay! ‘’
In the first round, Mertz and Harau came 3rd and 4th.
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Attractiveness in Thionville
‘’The case“, which tainted the campaign in the first round, is of course put back on the table by the left candidate Bertrand Mertz: ”Mr. Cuny, he is very self-satisfied. But apart from the carte blanche given to property developers, not much has happenedhe says. Pierre Cuny then tries to discredit it again by mentioning a Local Planning Plan (PLU) of 2013. ”I remind that Mr. Mertz voted a PLU which authorized three to four times more construction than what I authorize today… So this catchphrase on real estate developers, we must stop and move forwardadds Pierre Cuny, tackling Bertrand Mertz on the merger of his list with that of the environmental candidate Guy Harau.
Make way for the future and the program. Regarding the attractiveness of the city, Pierre Cuny finally explains that he wishes ”major actions with 80 million investments on the part of the city… It is the development of the right bank and the left bank which is launched, it is the restructuring of the coast of Roses from 2021. And a lot of things will be done on an environmental level: we are launching the collection of bio waste…’’
New pique by Bertrand Metz towards the outgoing mayor. The opportunity to mention the ecological aspect of its program: ”We must make an ecological city with environmental standards, we must not seize every void in the city to build there, we must make the acquisition of property at rental cost, we must not do that housing to 4,000 euros m2 but also allow people to become owners of their homes for a loan repayment no more important than the rent they would pay for this accommodation… ‘’
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For Patrick Luxembourger, Thionville is a city abandoned. If elected, proximity and personal services will be on the agenda: ”The situation in terms of interviews is worrying and the residents are asking for service. To say that the city center is going well is an optical illusion. This is a worrying phenomenon for the town, its inhabitants and for all the towns in the sector … The vitality of the center of Thionville is decisive for the vitality of our entire basin. Yes, the situation is serious, just walk around!“, he is alarmed.
Bertrand Mertz shares his opinion. He wishes at all costs ”bring life back to this city which is sorely lacking… The situation is worse than ever, strategies must be developed, making the city center a place of culture and entertainment to make people want to come there’’.
“The affair” which tainted the campaign of the first round
The irruption in the campaign of Patrick Luxembourger, the mayor of Terville who did not represent himself in his city is motivated, according to the interested party, by the desire not to see Thionville fall into the hands of the Left and Bertrand Mertz. Although Pierre Cuny seems to be a favorite, Patrick Luxembourger indeed predicts that a corruption case could break out, tarnishing the reputation of part of the team of the mayor of Thionville, thus making him lose the election to the benefit of Bertrand Mertz. Consequently, Patrick Luxembourger decides to appear, on February 27, fifteen days before the ballot, to arise as a recourse on the right.
What business is it?
Patrick Luxembourger evokes a rumor which ran on Thionville the months which preceded the poll. According to this rumor, supported only in part by an article subsequently published in a regional daily, a well-known promoter in the city has benefited from favoritism. A party even took place in Marrakech with elected officials among the guests.
Fearing that a corruption case would come to light, Patrick Luxembourger then launched his campaign. While a first article appeared in the Republican Lorrain on this affair (others should follow), on March 8, a week before the first round, Pierre Cuny counterattacked and filed a complaint against X two days later, the March 10, for slanderous denunciation, supporting documents. Collusion, favoritism, even corruption, or not, the case will be settled in court.
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