“I find it a shame to think that the question of Jean-Paul Fournier's succession would be reduced to a potential investiture decided in Paris and given by a political party that won 6% in the last legislative elections in Nîmes.” Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE
The first deputy mayor of Nîmes, Julien Plantier, who declared himself a candidate for the 2026 municipal elections, reserved his first speech for Midi Libre. He explains his choice and his ambitions.
Why did you choose to declare yourself a candidate on January 23? ? Why so early, 13 months before the municipal elections in March 2026? ?
First, because the municipal election is the most important for our fellow citizens: there is a real direct link between the voter, the mayor and the citizens. And then, there is the end of a cycle. Whether we like it or not, the fact that Jean-Paul Fournier announced a year ago now that he would not run for a fifth term, is the starting point for me with the question of his succession that was opened. He wanted there to be an agreement between Franck Proust and me. Starting from there, I started a personal and intellectual reasoning and journey that led me, a year after this announcement, to declare my candidacy. I did not get up yesterday morning telling myself that I was going to be a candidate. Since Jean-Paul Fournier's announcement, I have thought, I have consulted, I have set up an organization that I will present progressively.
To declare oneself so early, is it not the risk of running out of steam? ?
For me, it is not too early. The electoral calendar has been clarified by the AMF with the government. It is the end of January, we are barely more than a year away. And I deeply believe that whatever public decision-maker, a certain clarity and a certain transparency are necessary. Certain elements have also been taken into account: the difficulties of Jean-Paul Fournier last summer, in my collective journey with Franck Proust, my desire to achieve that his legal outcome is over. I have been working on this issue for a year, it has been carefully considered, I had spoken about it with Jean-Paul Fournier on several occasions. I have not chosen anyone by default. In my opinion, it is the right tempo. And then I will refresh the memory of some: in February 2013, for elections in March 2014, Franck Proust announced in your columns that if Jean-Paul Fournier was not a candidate, he would be. He was first deputy mayor of Nîmes and a Member of the European Parliament. Let's be realistic about the situation.
Why, even if it took several months, not have waited until the arbitration desired by Jean-Paul Fournier between Franck Proust and you ?
Words have meaning. Even if we feel that things are changing, Jean-Paul Fournier said two important things to me this year: the fact that he is not running again and the agreement he wanted between Franck and me. And I add his sentence on the fact that if we did not reach an agreement, he would stay home.
Is it because you recently felt a slight preference from the mayor for Franck Proust that you decided to go there? ?
No, not at all. This is the first time that I am running for municipal office, but I have had the opportunity to run for other mandates. It is a strong act, which shows a certain courage, responsibilities because I am not committing myself alone, behind there is a team that will accompany me. And to be honest, I am not going to wait for a political party to nominate a candidate or for other potential candidates to declare themselves. I have set my own schedule, I respect it.
When Richard Tibérino, head of the LR in Gard, considers that your candidacy is a lack of respect towards Jean-Paul Fournier, what do you say to him ?
I met Jean-Paul Fournier in 2005, I was a simple activist as a young student at the university. It is thanks to him that I was able to climb a certain number of rungs. It would have been a lack of respect if I had not told him and if he had asked me officially and solemnly not to run. I did not force my way through.
What did he tell you in this case ?
I go back again: he wanted an agreement with Franck and me. I had wanted us to talk for over six months. I could see that Franck was starting to take a strong interest in a number of local issues… Despite my repeated requests, months went by without a meeting being set up. Except that preparing a project, a campaign takes time. When I announced my candidacy to Jean-Paul Fournier, I didn’t feel any surprise.
But a certain annoyance all the same.
Which I can understand! But from the beginning, I have been reaching out to Franck so that we can think about a distribution of roles between the City and the Agglo. And I want to continue to discuss. We need to demonstrate territorial intelligence. A city and an agglomeration of this size, even managed by two people, takes time and remains complex. We can absolutely work intelligently in the service of the territory, in a certain generational complementarity, in relation to the experience and our respective qualities.
If tomorrow you do not have the Republican nomination, will you continue the adventure ?
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000When I got involved in politics in 2005, I took out my UMP membership card. I am a political activist: I have held almost all the positions in the party statutes at the UMP or the Republicans, whether it be youth leader, constituency delegate, deputy departmental secretary of the federation, candidate in local or national elections… I think that today people who know me know that I am a man of the right. Obviously I don't care about the political aspect of things. But I have established a certain number of observations regarding this political commitment between 2005 and 2022…
2022 where you have already marked a break with the Republicans by resigning, on April 26 after the fiasco of Valérie Pécresse in the Presidential elections, from your functions as deputy secretary of the party in the Gard.
Absolutely. Up until now, I have canvassed, campaigned, put up posters, I have had wonderful times in my political family. But in 2022, I have noticed that our political family is no longer representative of the expectations of our fellow citizens. When you have a so-called government political party that scores so low in the presidential elections, in the legislative elections, at the national level or at the local level, you have to ask yourself the right questions. Jean-Paul Fournier, in 2020, was not elected because he was a Republican, but because he was Jean-Paul Fournier. We have also subsequently integrated a certain number of people from civil society who were not UMP members. To tell you that the fact that I am not invested by the Republicans will be a disadvantage, I am not sure, on the contrary. I read what Richard Tibérino said. But I find it unfortunate that the question of Jean-Paul Fournier's succession is reduced to a potential investiture decided in Paris and given by a political party that won 6% in the last legislative elections in Nîmes.
What exactly does Jean-Paul Fournier's succession deserve? ? What axes will candidate Plantier defend? ?
There are two stages: the current one, the candidacy. While Jean-Paul Fournier is finishing, and I with him, a fourth term. It is not easy to maintain a policy that is conducted with such force, rigor and assiduity over time. I think that the software has changed: arriving four months early with a team and a ready-made project is a thing of the past. We need to restore a certain confidence in politics to our voters. And for us to try to do that, they need to feel like actors. The idea is that throughout 2025, we can present a framework within which we can frame the areas on which we will ask our fellow citizens to reflect. And that during this year, we can listen, hear and consult the population. This is not an empty phrase. In two weeks, I will present a pair, a woman and a man, who will be responsible for working on and conceptualizing this project, with themes that we are currently finalizing. With legal support, an association, which will allow us to bring this reflection to life. I believe a lot in meritocracy, in living together, in solidarity, which is necessary for populations to live together.
Are this pair elected officials, people from public society? ?
You will see! They will be presented before the February holidays.
Is your team formed??
Even if it is a personal approach, I cannot imagine this adventure without women and men at my side. Today, I have some from the municipal team, from outside too, who will accompany me in this approach.
Beyond Jean-Paul Fournier and Franck Proust, how was your candidacy received within your municipal majority??
It was latent. A number of elected colleagues supported me and welcomed my candidacy with envy and enthusiasm. Others disapproved. But we will continue to work together to serve Jean-Paul Fournier’s mandate. On the other hand, I offered my resignation from the position of group president of the municipal majority to Jean-Paul Fournier and he accepted it. It seemed normal to me for reasons of cohesion.
This Friday morning, did you wake up and tell yourself that you made the right choice??
I'll tell you in March 2026. But from the moment you do it with passion and commitment, you're rarely wrong.
Why want to become mayor given the complexity of the political world today??
There are certainly situations where I would be more comfortable or more serene, but it's just passion. In relation to a territory: I am from Nîmes, proud to be so and I want to give back to my city what it has given me. At a time when we are thinking about the succession of the man who is for me the greatest mayor that Nîmes has ever known, I would not have considered not contributing to the defense of this legacy.
What do you think you can bring to this city ?
We are in a city on a human scale in which life is good.
It depends on the neighborhood and at what time…
Overall, life is good. All the public policies that we have implemented over the past 20 years contribute to this search for the character of the living environment. But after 25 years in office, if remarkable things have been done, we must have the lucidity to say that we have not done everything well and that we must write a new book. Politics is working for future generations. We must work on the Nîmes of tomorrow.
You have often been criticized for a cold, even haughty attitude. Do you hear it ?
Yes. But I hear it less in recent months. Perhaps because I have also opened up. Life has happened: being married, a young father, I also see life differently. It was also a reservation that was sometimes misinterpreted.
Are you already thinking about possible alliances, like what is happening at the national level, with Valérie Rouverand for Renaissance or a Horizons representative ?
There is no question of any alliance with people who are currently in the opposition.
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