Without much suspense, Christiane Lardat was elected mayor of Cogolin

More people than ever attended the election of the new mayor this Tuesday evening, following the ineligibility of former mayor Marc-Etienne Lansade, notified in early July.

And more elected officials than usual, too. The majority had rallied its troops—plus proxies—to avoid suffering a crushing setback with an insufficient quorum, as at the last council meeting.

Once the candidates for the mayor's seat were revealed, there were few surprises to be expected: Christiane Lardat, first deputy mayor, was favored by the majority of elected officials who validated her candidacy, "natural," according to her repeated words before the secret ballot.

Three applications

Facing her, the leader of Unis pour Cogolin, Mireille Escarrat, proposed her candidacy and invited the elected officials to change their vision: "A page has just turned, new choices can be made, such is the challenge facing us all until the next municipal elections. I want to take a break with you on the big issues that affect the future of Cogolin. I know that there are people of good will in this council. You know our positions on the major issues, so I leave the door open," she outlined.

A more offensive tone for dissident Michael Rigaud, who distanced himself from the majority in 2024. "You received instructions for tonight's vote, but this time, something has changed. The person who gave you these instructions is no longer mayor, no longer elected. He can no longer do anything against you. Yet, the candidate he nominated is there to carry out his instructions. Voting for this candidate means voting so that nothing changes. You are completely free to make your choice. So, regain your freedom of thought. Show the people of Cogolin that you have heard them."

The majority did not flinch

With three candidates in the running, the first deputy mayor had a head start. It wasn't a bombshell, but Christiane Lardat didn't garner the votes she might have hoped for. While Michael Rigaud only received one ballot in his favor, Mireille Escarrat garnered eight votes (one more than the number of opposition members). The vote also resulted in a blank vote and a spoiled vote. A small crack in this majority that wanted to unite, "a detail" noted by the former mayor's wife, a special correspondent.

"Humility" and "sense of responsibility" flourished in the first statement by Christiane Lardat, a vocal supporter of Eric Zemmour's Reconquest party. "I would like to salute this municipal team, its commitment and loyalty to the general interest [bursts of laughter in the audience]. My priority, our priority, is you, the people of Cogolin. In a tense context, I want to reaffirm loud and clear that Cogolin remains at the heart of our action. (...) We are fully mobilized for the future of our city, Cogolin is moving forward, changing, improving."

The elected officials then voted for the nine deputies who will accompany Christiane Lardat until March 2026, and there are a few surprises in this composition (see the next edition).