- Nearly two weeks before the first round of the municipal elections, "20 Minutes" launched a survey to ask its #MeYoung community, what were their expectations and the priority issues that the candidates will have to address.
- Rémy Dick could be one of them. But he has already been mayor for three years. Elected at only 22 years old at the head of the city of Florange, in Moselle, he is now 25 and is the youngest mayor of France.
- “I think that when you are younger, you have a different listening and attention. But we also know very well that "the young person" is more of a generic term and a vague concept which covers very different realities ", he declares.
- "It took me two years to get into the costume of mayor in the eyes of my fellow citizens," admits the councilor campaigning for a new term.
He is the youngest mayor of France. Rémy Dick was elected at just 22 years old as head of the town of Florange, in Moselle. At 25 today, he could be part of the #MoiJeune de 20 Minutes community . These, in partnership with the Opinion Way polling institute, were asked for a survey * in order to find out the themes that candidates for election should, according to 18-30 year olds, deal with as a priority. This system made it possible to collect more than 300 questions.
On the campaign trail for a new municipal term, 20 Minutes questioned Rémy Dick about his relationship with young people and youth, his studies and his relationships with his constituents.
Does being a young mayor allow you to be more in touch with the expectations of young people?
I think that when you are younger, you have a different listening and attention. But we also know very well that "the young" is more of a generic term and a vague concept that covers very different realities. There are young graduates, other non-graduates, some love opera, others don't… Young people are not a monolithic reality.
Do you feel an interest of the young people of Florange for environmental themes, that our #MoiJeune community plebiscite for municipal?
Florange is an industrial area with 4,000 jobs in this sector, including 2,200 just for the ArcelorMittal coking plant. Air pollution, water pollution, etc. are very important in the public debate of the municipality. But the inhabitants especially want to change their living environment. During the Europeans, we were touched by the green vote [the Europe Ecology list made 10.68%], which shows that the young people are mobilized and have a particular interest in these questions, because they are generally more attentive. to this thematic.
You are also a student, how do you manage your curriculum with your functions as mayor?
I relaunched myself in studies in History at the Sorbonne in Paris to complete my initial course at Sciences-Po. I plan to do the ENA, so I need a solid general knowledge. I say it: being mayor and studying is possible. Everything is a question of organization. That said, I must recognize that with municipal elections, I am reaching my limits. So I favor the campaign to studies for the moment.
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How are you perceived by your interlocutors, did it happen that you were not taken seriously because of your young age?
In general, I have a good relationship with elected officials. On the population side, it's a different story. It took me two years to get into the mayor's costume in the eyes of my fellow citizens. As I always say: the suit is cut wide. The first six months, I was not necessarily taken seriously either by municipal employees and associations. I had to prove myself to accept my leadership. But I have since proven that I have baggage. I dare say it: the mandate of mayor is the most interesting political mandate.
* Study #MoiJeune 20 Minutes - OpinionWay , carried out online from February 4 to 6, 2020 with a representative sample of 558 young people aged 18 to 30 (quota method) .
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