A violent charge on financial issues against the outgoing majority augures of irreversible political consequences on the left

André Despagnet, ancien maire-adjoint au finances d'Angers et principal soutien de Jean-Luc Rotureau dans la campagne des municipales s'est livré à une violente attaque contre le maire actuel, Frédéric Béatse, et son prédécesseur, Jean-Claude Antonini. M. Despagnet concentre ses critiques contre le montant des investissements de la ville. Au-delà de ses aspects financiers, stratégiques, dans les années à venir, ce "J'accuse" pourrait avoir des conséquences politiques irréversibles au sein de la gauche angevine actuelle.

Everything goes wrong in the Angers left. A violent charge against Frédéric Béatse, outgoing mayor and candidate to a new term, has been launched by André Despagnet, his former deputy-mayor entrusted with finances, and now one of the first running mates of Jean-Luc Rotureau, Mr. Béatse's challenger. "I Accuse Jean-Claude Antonini [previous mayor] and Frédéric Béatse of not having respect for the taxpayer's money", said Mr. Despagnet on a video published on his leader website. The former manager of the municipal finances focuses his critics on the investments of the city he thinks they will have to be under firm control in the years to come. "How will you finance them?" asks André Despagnet, visibly angry by the development of those issues for the 4 to 5 years.

The former deputy-mayor in charge of finances deplore the construction of the aqualudic centre, AquaVita, simply because "We did'nt have the means to finance it". Refering to the figures of investments, € 69 millions in the 2014 budget he didn't vote, the former deputy-mayor warns that "they are too high" and that they could lead the Angers decision makers to increase taxes. André Despagnet even dramatizes the case : "Angers will be tomorow the city where taxes and debt are the highest".

The financial field is an important stake in Jean-Luc Rotureau's platform. The candidate demanded a public debate be organized on the municipal resources between candidates. "It is the debt reduction which allows us to have ambition for Angers. Not the opposite", writes Mr. Rotureau in his proposals. From a political standpoint, these fierce attacks inside the current left majority do not augur favourably of a better understanding between him and Mr. Béatse's supporters after the first round. A split appears now as irreversible.