Pierre Humic, the new mayor of Bordeaux, has received many criticisms from the right and the far right after indicating his intention not to install a Christmas tree on the Place Pey-Berland, on the side of the cathedral, opposite the town hall.

The desire of the new ecological mayor of Bordeaux, Pierre Hurmic, to put an end to the traditional Christmas tree on the town hall square, earned him on Friday a volley of criticism mainly from the right, local and national.

"The dead Christmas tree"

During his political return, Pierre Hurmic announced on Thursday a series of measures on security, town planning, and the revegetation of Bordeaux.

And in particular an inventory of "all the places in the city where we can plant" trees, in "islets, squares, plots, isolated trees, even".

He also mentioned the case of the "dead Christmas tree", the large illuminated Christmas tree, about 15-20 m high, which each December lights up the Place Pey-Berland, on the side of the cathedral, facing the town hall.

The Christmas tree in Place Pey Berland is the dead tree that hides the forest of our back-to-school proposals in #Bordeaux.


Saving € 60,000 + induced ecological and economic costs without giving up the magic of Christmas, this is what we are proposing.https: //t.co/fLOYafzWZM

- Pierre HURMIC (@PierreHurmic) September 11, 2020

"We will not put dead trees on the town squares, especially on the Place Pey-Berland, you keep the memory of this dead tree that we brought in every year. It is not at all our conception of revegetation, ”he said.

"The cost that was allocated to this particularly expensive operation, we will do instead of the live performance, and the budget saved will also finance assistance to traders and charities, so that this budget is marked and not lost", a- he continued.

"But what nonsense!"

"But what stupidity!", Reacted on Twitter the elected opposition and former first deputy Fabien Robert (MoDem).

"It is the tree that hides the forest from real Bordeaux subjects ... but let's mobilize to keep our beautiful tree!", He added, calling for the signing of a petition "@bordeaux wants to keep his tree" , launched on change.org.

At the national level too, voices were raised.

“Call me old world if you want, but the Christmas tree, the Tour de France and all these traditions that unite us will always be the glue of a society,” tweeted Xavier Bertrand, president of the Hauts de France region.

LR deputy Eric Ciotti denounced "green pseudos", "true left extremists".

“Forbid the passage of the Tour de France, cancel the Christmas tree ... in fact the EELV mayors is all that brings a little joy or celebration that they forbid!

They are worse than ideologists: they are poopers.

»@ Franceinfopic.twitter.com / fouij456QI

- MarleneSchiappa (@MarleneSchiappa) September 11, 2020

"EELV mayors are worse than ideologues"

"In fact, the EELV mayors, that's all that brings a little joy or celebration that they forbid! They are worse than ideologists: they are spoilers," tweeted Minister Delegate for Citizenship Marlene Schiappa.

The Greens "have a visceral rejection of everything that makes our country, our traditions, our culture and will seek to dismantle everything piece by piece," said Marine le Pen on the same social network.

The Christmas tree, "a dead tree" for the Greens ?!

These people have a visceral rejection of everything that makes up our country, our traditions, our culture and will try to dismantle everything piece by piece.

French, wake up!

MLP https://t.co/hLaG0ZME3y

- Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) September 11, 2020

A tree that has a cost

The City defended itself on Friday, listing the costs associated with the traditional large tree.

"Almost 60,000 euros to which are added significant costs incurred": "crossing of France by truck and exceptional convoy for a tree of 17 m", "lighting of 10 km of electric garland", "4 nights of assembly with 12 agents mobilized in night shifts "," frequent vandalism inducing night security costs ".

An "unnecessary controversy initiated by an extreme right-wing current"

"The living trees of Place Pey-Berland and Place Jean-Moulin (adjacent) will be illuminated", reassures the town hall, and the savings devoted to associations which "will ensure the enchantment of the place".


"It was the city services that alerted us to the staggering cost of the Christmas tree", assures Didier Jeanjean, deputy in charge of nature in the city, denouncing a "useless controversy initiated by a far-right current" .

"The fairyland of Christmas will be preserved", he insisted, assuring that the decision of the town hall "has nothing to do with secularism".

"Pierre Hurmic and the municipal team want to keep the magic of Christmas without wasting public money," the statement said.