Pension reform: is the claimed support of the Paris city hall for the social movement legal?

Romain Rouillard 5:30 p.m., February 02, 2023

On either side of the Olympic rings, which sit enthroned on the forecourt of the town hall of Paris while waiting for the 2024 Olympics, two banners, about ten meters high, have recently made a remarkable appearance.

We can read the message "Town hall in solidarity with the social movement" in white writing on a royal blue background.

Through these few words, the left-wing Parisian municipality loudly proclaims its support for popular protest against the pension reform.

If this position has triggered the ire of the presidential camp, it is also considered illegal by some jurists.

But is this really the case? 

This "reform" is an unjust and brutal regression.

Faced with the systematic destruction of our social conquests, let us never resign!

Today, like tomorrow, let's stay mobilized.

In solidarity with the social movement, the Town Hall is now closed to the public.

pic.twitter.com/NQpvXBWY2Z

— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) January 31, 2023

"There is indeed a principle of neutrality which applies to public service. To the point that the Council of State extended this principle to public buildings in 2005", reminds Europe 1 Thibault Mercier, lawyer at the Paris bar.

The highest court of the administrative order considers that this principle "opposes the affixing to public buildings of signs symbolizing the assertion of political, religious or philosophical opinions". 

"The principle of neutrality of public services is opposed to the affixing to public buildings of signs symbolizing the assertion of political, religious or philosophical opinions."

Judgment of the Council of State of 07/25/2005

1/2 https://t.co/2sPDWxu5CS

— Independent and Progressives Group Paris (@Independants75) January 31, 2023

"We do not really see what is the local interest of these banners" 

“We believe that any sign or political message suggests propaganda activity,” continues Thibault Mercier.

And to remember that the slightest municipal decision, including that of hoisting a simple banner, must respond to the will of the citizens.

"However, in this specific case, we do not really see what the local interest of these banners is," he believes. 

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According to this lawyer, this message of support is therefore “illegal” from a legal point of view, although it is nothing new.

“It is not uncommon to see municipalities show their support for the LGBT cause or for refugees, for example,” notes Thibault Mercier.

In concrete terms, it is therefore possible to bring the mayor of Paris to justice, but the procedure has little chance of succeeding.

"By the time the court decision is made, the banners will have been removed," notes the lawyer.

The town hall of Paris reacts 

When contacted, Emmanuel Grégoire, First Deputy Mayor of Paris debunks these accusations.

"The central town hall is not a town hall in the legal sense of the term, unlike the district town halls. In addition, the continuity of public service has been perfectly ensured in Paris, there has been no closure", defends- there before reaffirming firm and definitive support for the social movement.

"It's a position we fully endorse. It reveals freedom of speech. The subject of banners is an absurd debate that reveals that the government is much less comfortable with this kind of message when they go to against their positions.