• In March 2017, then president of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Christian Estrosi had qualified his opponent of the FN Philippe Vardon, “heir to Goebbels”, the head of propaganda of the Nazi regime, in full council regional.

  • At first instance, the mayor of Nice had been released from the charge of insult for the comparison with Joseph Goebbels, but had been found guilty of the acts of defamation for having attributed Nazi salutes to the former identity official.

  • This Tuesday, the Court of Cassation rejected the appeal of the member of the office of the National Rally and confirmed the decision of the Aix-en-Provence court of appeal which had acquitted the mayor of Nice of these defamation facts.

The Court of Cassation confirmed on Tuesday the decision of the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal which had released the mayor of Nice (ex-LR) Christian Estrosi of the charge of defamation against the local and regional elected representative of the National Rally Philippe Vardon.

In March 2017, then president of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Christian Estrosi had strongly attacked, in plenary session of the regional council, his opponent of the FN Philippe Vardon, calling him "heir to Goebbels ”, the head of propaganda for the Nazi regime.

He had also attributed to the elected official "Nazi salutes".

Christian Estrosi released at first instance

The Court of Cassation rejected the appeal of the member of the office of the National Rally, estimating that "if Christian Estrosi exaggerated the role of Philippe Vardon by attributing him Nazi salutes". She indicated that this "exaggeration (...) does not go beyond what democratic debate allows when it comes to elections, to inform elected officials and the public of the political past of those who run. by suffrage ”.

At first instance, the mayor of Nice had been acquitted of the charge of insult for the comparison with Joseph Goebbels, but had been found guilty of the acts of defamation for having attributed Nazi salutes to the former identity official.

In October 2019, the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal had acquitted him of these defamation facts.

The public prosecutor's office did not appeal the acquittal for public insult, the court had accepted the civil fault concerning the injury and the court of appeal had, however, condemned Christian Estrosi to 2,000 euros in damages.

Justice

Estrosi and a leftist opponent in court against a background of "freedom of expression"

Justice

Condemned for "defamation" against Estrosi, the opponent denounces an injustice

  • Philippe Vardon

  • Christian Estrosi

  • Court of Cassation

  • Nice

  • Justice