The appeal of the town hall of Beaucaire (Gard) was rejected on Wednesday by the Council of State, the highest French administrative court. The RN municipality was contesting a court decision ordering it to remove the Christmas crib installed in the town hall.
In December 2020, the administrative court of Nîmes, seized by the prefect of Gard, had ordered in summary proceedings “the suspension of the execution of the non-formalized decision of the mayor of the municipality of Beaucaire to install a nativity scene in the ‘precinct of the town hall’. The municipality had appealed against this judgment, highlighting “the cultural, artistic or festive character” of the crèche.
Already dismissed by the Administrative Court of Appeal
In January 2021, the judge in chambers of the Marseille administrative court of appeal had rejected the request and ordered the municipality to “proceed with the removal of the crèche” under penalty of penalty. A decision confirmed on the merits in September 2021.
Mayor Julien Sanchez had announced a complaint before the Council of State for “discrimination”. In its judgment on Wednesday, the Council of State considers that none of the arguments of the city “is such as to allow the admission of the appeal” and therefore decides that it “is not admitted”.
Regular lawsuits
The crèches in Béziers, the Hérault town run by Robert Ménard, close to the RN, and Beaucaire are regularly prosecuted but continue to be installed each year by the mayors concerned.