A first debate with two visions

Le 1er des deux débats électoraux qui s'est tenu le 19 février a confirmé l'importance de l'empoi dans les préoccupations des Angevins mais également fait apparaître les pouvoirs très relatifs dont un maire disposait à ce sujet. Deux visions du futur se sont également dessinées. Selon l'une, la situation économique actuelle commande des choix budgétaires. Selon l'autre, Angers doit aller de l'avant car un repli sur soi serait fatal pour l'économie et l'emploi.

Employment, energy, tramway and Maine banks as well as, implicitly, the finances of the town have been the main topics of the 1st public debate between most of the leaders of the lists competing for the Angers municipal elections. Questionned about the voters' intentions appeared in a poll, all candidates were cautious because, as Christophe Béchu pointed out, "the interest of people for the elections is going to take shape now".

Because the number of joblesses increased by 10% in the last year, because the figures of job offers have decreased by 9% and because the number of bankrupcies have soared by 25% between 2012 and 2013, for all of the political representatives, the relationships with the inhabitants make appear that employment is the main stake even if, during the debate, it became clear that the mayor will not have an important leverage.


For most of them, that economic situation makes necessary to lower the ambitions of the city for the next term and to gather the efforts of territorial authorities to get an improved situation. Laurent Gérault and Jean-Luc Rotureau were on the same line saying that it was necessary to postpone some investments and suggesting to dedicate the savings to innovation. Frédéric Béatse was on a rather confident mood. According to the current Angers mayor, "we need to be different with the others to get attractiveness" and Angers New Banks must be considered rather as an investment than a expense. That lead Christophe Béchu to denounce "the ineffectiveness of schemes planned for 30 years".

The trolley gave opportunity to some sparrings between candidates. Mr. Béatse critized Mr. Béchu about the route of the facility : "The route of the tramway is something serious, one cannot change if if the wind is turning" a clear allusion to the recent change of Christophe Béchu after the claims of La Doutre inhabitants and retail store owners regarding the second line. That one had, previously, claimed that the Biopole settled by the last municipal team will demand new financial resources to run.

In their conclusions the two main candidates, Frédéric Béatse and Christophe Béchu were on a very different vision. According to the first, "the municipal elections are not the most important stake, what is essential is Angers by the end of six years" while, for the second, "the city needs a breathe after 37 years without alternative".