The Nice Administrative Court -

E.Martin / ANP / 20 Minutes

  • During the in-between rounds, a satirical publication had been distributed in the mailboxes of the inhabitants of Carros.

  • The outgoing mayor had lodged a complaint, judging that this review was prejudicial to him and requested the cancellation of the elections.

  • With 34 votes apart, the court decided to annul the elections.

    Yannick Bernard, the current mayor, has one month to appeal.

In June, Yannick Bernard (Various Right) won with only thirty votes the municipal elections of Carros, in the Alpes-Maritimes against the outgoing mayor, Charles Scibetta (DIV).

On Wednesday, the Nice Administrative Court decided to cancel them for defamatory writings against the outgoing mayor in a publication distributed to Carrossois.

Charles Scibetta had lodged a complaint following the distribution of a satirical newspaper distributed in the mailboxes of the inhabitants during the period between the two turns.

According to information from France 3, the "Ficanass" spoke of management problems, tax rates and excessive urbanization.

Charles Scibetta then demanded the cancellation of the mayor's campaign account and ineligibility for a period of three years for Yannick Bernard.

Defamatory writings retained for the annulment of the elections

The court accepted the defamatory writings, in which the outgoing mayor was described as "Pinocchio no longer knowing where to put his nose because it is so long" as the reason for canceling the elections, given the small difference in votes between the two candidates during of the second round.

The administrative court did not pronounce a sentence of ineligibility or annul the mayor's campaign account.

Screenshot of Yannick Bernard's Facebook message - Facebook screenshot

In a Facebook message, Yannick Bernard said he was not responsible for what he is accused of and speaks of "a possible appeal", which can be lodged within a month.

“Unfortunately, we are subjected to these anonymous publications to which we are totally foreign, contrary to the allegations of my opponent”.

He remains confident if elections were to take place again: “I remain with you and I am not worried about the future.

You trusted me for the first time and I have no doubt that you will renew this trust in me if we had to vote again ”.

If this were the case, the elections would take place in a particular context of health crisis, and three months before the regional elections, the last vote before the presidential election.

Municipal

Record abstention, green wave… What to remember from the second round of the 2020 municipal elections?

Municipal

Parity, age ... Zoom in a few figures on the first round of the 2020 municipal ballot in the Alpes-Maritimes:

  • Cancellation

  • Municipal elections

  • Justice

  • Ballot

  • Court

  • Nice