“Today, the situation forces me to take responsibility,” assures Julien Plantier, candidate for the 2026 municipal elections in Nîmes

Une candidature qui devrait bousculer la donne au sein de la droite nîmoise. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET

Le premier adjoint au maire a annoncé sa candidature via une vidéo postée ce jeudi 23 janvier, actant une volonté de rassembler, "dans une démarche d’union et de collaboration".

He took everyone by surprise, starting with his own camp. Although Julien Plantier did things properly, making phone calls to those he deemed necessary to warn before posting his video, it still had the effect of a small bomb in the political world of Nîmes. The first deputy mayor is therefore officially a candidate to succeed Jean-Paul Fournier in 2026.

“Proud to be Jean-Paul Fournier's first deputy”

While his political ambitions were not hidden, they were, until then, at least tempered by a Jean-Paul Fournier who believed that the time to choose his successor had not yet come. So Julien Plantier has decided to free himself from the yoke of the man for whom he has always shown deep respect.

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In a video posted on social media, Julien Plantier explains his choice to leave so early in the municipal battle, starting by paying tribute to the mayor of Nîmes who, “one year ago, to the day”, announced “that he would not run for a fifth term. Committed for over 40 years to the service of the people of Nîmes, he has transformed this city, he has metamorphosed it. Deeply attached to this territory, I am proud today to be his first deputy, proud to be part of his municipal team”, proclaims Julien Plantier.

“The future of this city begins today”

But why this candidacy announced this Thursday ? To this, Julien Plantier's response can leave room for several interpretations: “Today, the situation forces me to take my responsibilities, with clarity, with sincerity and with transparency. Today, it seems important to me to announce this candidacy to you.” Desire to cut the grass under the feet of a Franck Proust omnipresent in the Nîmes landscape recently ? Desire to free oneself from the Republicans ? The coming weeks will allow us to learn more about the projects that the 39-year-old man is carrying out. And who will be his political supporters. “In the coming days, in the coming weeks, I will come to meet you to hear you, to listen to you, so that we can exchange. I believe a lot in consultation, in dialogue”, pleads this professional lawyer.

A strong political commitment

At 39, Julien Plantier has been immersed in politics for over fifteen years. Involved since Jean-Marie Le Pen's second round of the presidential elections in 2002, which was an earthquake for him, he joined the Nîmes municipal council in 2008. Deputy for Sports since 2014, he became spokesperson for Jean-Paul Fournier's campaign in 2020 and was rewarded for his investment by being appointed first deputy, succeeding a certain Franck Proust in this position, who had gone to conquer the Agglo of Nîmes.  

Who, faced with his detractors judging his candidacy “too premature” that “if we do not wish to give up on Jean-Paul Fournier's record, we must act now. In a united approach, in a collaborative approach and in a collective approach”. “The future of this city begins today”, concludes Julien Plantier.

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