Every morning, Nicolas Beytout analyzes political news and gives us his opinion. This Friday, he is interested in the Marseille rebellion which is accentuated after the announcement of new health measures. Marseille also wanted to send a message by organizing the press conference of Michèle Rubirola and Martine Vassal at the same time as that of the Prime Minister. The mayor of Marseille has also declared that any reconfinement of the city was "unthinkable", leaving the threat of disobedience if Paris decides to further toughen the fight against the epidemic.
Thursday was marked by a sort of distant duel between Paris and Marseille.
To remove any suspicion that may arise, let us specify that Nicolas Beytou is not a supporter of either PSG or OM. Simply, he notes that the clash between the first two cities in France, which had already experienced a few episodes during confinement, has started again. He took it a step further, we are now in provocations.
Provocations? From who ?
First from the Marseille camp. For example, the decision taken by the Mayor of Marseille and the President of the Bouches-du-Rhône department, Michèle Rubirola and Martine Vassal, to hold a press conference exactly when the Prime Minister was holding his. This choice is obviously not insignificant, especially since the conference in Marseille was held in the premises of Professor Raoult, who took the opportunity to denigrate in advance the visit that the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, was to make. in the afternoon.
On the side of Paris, or rather on the side of the government?
According to the Marseille elected officials, the tightening of sanitary screws (wearing of the compulsory mask and closing of the bars at 11 p.m.) was decided without consultation, in defiance of the proposals which had (would have been) seen with the prefect. If this was correct, it would indeed fall under provocation, since on the contrary, the health measures imposed on Parisians were negotiated with the town hall, with Anne Hidalgo.
What feeds the discourse "two weights, two measures" of the Marseillais. Is this not yet another resurgence of the Paris-provincial rivalry? Is it serious ?
It can become. First, because there is a sort of sacred union of Marseille politicians against the central government (the left-wing majority, the Republican opposition, plus Jean-Luc Mélenchon who followed suit), it is a block against each other. Then, because it flatters the classic province-Paris antagonism. But above all, there is now the threat of disobedience if Paris decides to further toughen the fight against the epidemic and to reconfine the city. The Mayor of Marseille says it curtly: "It is unthinkable". Does that mean that the city would refuse to implement the government's decision? It would then be a great first. During a conversation with Emmanuel Macron, last spring, Nicolas Beytout had heard the President of the Republic worrying about the fact that local and territorial communities were always asking for more decentralization, but increasingly shifting the responsibility for what does not work on the central state. They have, he said in substance, taken power but they do not assume the responsibility that goes with it. This time it's a little more worrying. They have taken power and they claim to exercise it against Paris. The government would be wrong to underestimate the message.