Haute-Loire. "We're not here to take hits": Mayors face the phenomenon of attacks on elected officials
Verbal or written threats, insults, harassment, and physical violence... Haute-Loire's elected officials are not spared. Could this reality be a reason to hesitate to take on responsibilities within their municipality? For Bernard Souvignet, president of AMF 43 (Association of Mayors of France): "It's an element that is taken into account. That's certain."
The elected officials affected by these attacks are most often mayors, who are closer to the population. But other municipal councilors are also victims of violence. Photo illustration by Charly Jurine
Following the violent knife attack on August 6 against the mayor, Gilles Dussault, in his village of Villeneuve-de-Marc in Isère, the issue of violence against elected officials has resurfaced.
Traumatic attacks that recall others in Haute-Loire: in November 2023, the filmed attack on a municipal councilor, Gérard Bayle, in Boisset, slapped by a resident (three days of ITT) after trying to remove an illegally placed sign; or, more recently, the deliberate arson of the two vehicles of Mayor Claude Vial in Aurec-sur-Loire inside his property on the night of May 5 to 6.
"I remember this mayor who was slapped but didn't file a complaint. She was afraid it would damage her image, and that it would be even worse......to read more, join our community of subscribers
and access all of our articles on the website and mobile app
from €1 for the first month, with no fixed term commitment
{'skus': ['lprswgpremium16']}
Google: €1 for the first month, then €12.99
Le Progres
