Europe 1 with AFP 11:53 a.m., February 11, 2022

The mayor of Rezé, Hervé Neau, elected in July 2020, died by hanging, the Nantes prosecutor's office said on Friday.

Since the announcement of the death of the 58-year-old city councilor, testimonies have been pouring in, like those of deputies Matthieu Orphelin or Valérie Oppelt. 

The mayor of Rezé, a town of 42,000 inhabitants of the metropolis of Nantes, died by hanging, we learned this Friday from the Nantes prosecutor's office, confirming information from the local media.

"I confirm this death by hanging," said the Nantes prosecutor's office, without immediately providing more details on the circumstances.

"A committed and exemplary mayor"

Hervé Neau, 58, was elected mayor of Rezé in July 2020, after leading the "Rezé citizen" list, we can read on the town hall website.

"Terrible and overwhelming news. Hervé Neau was a committed and exemplary mayor. I am thinking of his relatives, and also of the entire municipal team and the agents of Rezé", wrote on twitter the deputy of Maine-et-Loire Matthieu Orphelin .

Terrible and shocking news.


Hervé Neau was a committed and exemplary mayor.


I am thinking of his loved ones, and also of the entire municipal team and the agents of #Rezé.https://t.co/oht1CF4AZL

– Matthieu ORPHELIN (@M_Orphelin) February 11, 2022

“All my thoughts go out to his family, the elected officials and the inhabitants of the city of Rezé”, posted LREM MP for Loire-Atlantique Valérie Oppelt on twitter.

The judicial police have been seized of the investigation, we learned from a police source.