In Toulon, the Falco system is resisting

Yellow card or red card? Temporary or permanent exclusion? In Toulon, rugby is an inexhaustible supplier of allegories. Sidelined by the Marseille Criminal Court, who sentenced him, Friday April 14, a three-year suspended prison sentence and five years of ineligibility with immediate effect for concealment of embezzlement of public funds, Hubert Falco still hopes to regain his place at the forefront of the Var political game. This is the objective of the appeal that the former mayor of Toulon and president of the Toulon-Provence-Mediterranean metropolis (TPM), 75 years old, appealed. And this is the message he has been distilling in private to his followers since his conviction.

In the event of a return of the former minister, who has piloted the destinies of the capital of Var since 2001, his running mates have done nothing that could compromise the future, when it comes time to elect his successors in the two ***emblies. Wednesday, May 3, during a town council where “Hubert’s seat”, dominating the rest of the other elected officials, remained empty for a long time, the fifty members of its majority voted unanimously for Josée M***i. The first ***istant (unlabeled), a former mathematics teacher who arrived in politics in 2014, did not want “not really” sit down in Mr. Falco’s still warm armchair. Knighted by the outgoing, she nevertheless becomes the first female mayor of Toulon.

Thursday, May 4 in the metropolis, intermunicipality which includes twelve cities, it is the mayor of Hyères, the academic Jean-Pierre Giran, former Les Républicains (LR) and first vice-president of TPM, who took over. Again without real opposition, since he was the only candidate, validated by Hubert Falco. Jean-Louis M***on, LR president of the Var departmental council, did not wish to appear, considering that the profile of Mr. Giran, “Gaullist as [lui] », suited him.

Mme M***i is 72 years old. M. Giran, 76. In Toulon, as in the metropolis, these new elected officials wanted to place themselves in the continuity of their predecessor. “A team that loses its captain remains united and continues the match… It will be our way of honoring Hubert Falco”said M.me M***i, weaving the parallel with the last victorythe previous weekend, Rugby club Toulonnais in the European Cup. “I am not an heir, I am not an ***ociate, but I am a friend of Hubert Falco (…) The course is set and it will be kept in the full exercise of my duties as president., confirmed Mr. Giran, after his election. Robert Cavanna, Legal Affairs ***istant and Metropolitan Councilor, sums up the general idea: “It is not unthinkable to envisage that the appeal judge is much less severe and that Hubert Falco can resume his mandate. » In Toulon, we cling to the precedent experienced by the mayor of Montauban, Brigitte Barèges, who, in 2021, was acquitted on appeal after having been deprived of her duties at first instance.

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