“You have chosen to get involved in the life of the city”: nearly 110 children from Alès are attacking a mandate as municipal councillor

The new municipal council of the children of Alès has just been installed. MIDI LIBRE – CHARLES LEDUC

The official proclamation of the election results took place early in the evening of Tuesday, December 17, in a room in the city center of the capital of the Cévennes. And, one after the other, the young people presented their projects.

“Very small elected officials!”, the chief magistrate of the capital of the Cévennes noted with amusement on Tuesday, December 17, before quickly thinking about his hemicycle. “There, we have four or five on the municipal council. As they grow up, they come to us…” Nearly 3,200 students were consulted during this first quarter to ultimately form an assembly of 108 elected members of the Alès Children's Municipal Council (CME), from CE2 to 5th grade classes in the city's public and private schools and colleges.

Max Roustan to the children: “You've worked well”

At the beginning of the evening, everyone is invited to the official proclamation of the election results, in the Capitol Hall. “There are a lot of elected officials, but that's good” , rejoices Max Roustan. “And you made a lot of proposals. You did a good job.” As proof, these “freely chosen projects” number 43, which these young people will work to implement during their two years in office, through monthly workshops, supervised by facilitators. Over the course of a “great adventure”, promises them Léa Boyer, the municipal councilor in charge of the CME, herself a former mini-elected official.

“You are entering your life as a citizen”

“By your choice to run for election, you have chosen to engage in the life of the city, of the town”, Christophe Rivenq, first deputy and president of Alès Agglomeration, told them, congratulating them. “This is something important for us, elected officials and parents. You are entering your life as a citizen.” He then invites them to “share (their) ideas. And when we can put them in place, we will…”

Varied ambitions and “anchored in reality”

These projects, presented one by one, are varied, even if some come together: organizing citizen outings to clean up nature, fighting against harassment, raising awareness about animal abuse, helping injured animals, sharing moments with the elderly in nursing homes, retirement, acting in favor of hospitalized or disadvantaged children, fighting against pollution in the Gardon, planting trees, creating a tourist terminal in the city center, etc. So many “projects anchored in reality, full of hope”, notes Léa Boyer finally.

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