The political standoff continues. While the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin asked the town hall to “requisition” garbage collectors and garbage collectors in order to evacuate the garbage, the Paris City Hall refused him. The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo “does not have the power” to requisition the garbage collectors on strike against the pension reform and “does not intend to ask” the State to act in this direction, she answers this Wednesday.
Tuesday evening, the ninth day of the renewable strike, some 7,000 tons of garbage littered the sidewalks of the capital. “Gérald Darmanin informed the mayor of his intention to lift the blockades and requisition the strikers, knowing that the city does not have the power to do so”, specifies the entourage of the elected socialist to AFP.
“The town hall holds the health police”
If the town hall “does not follow up on the requisition, the State will take the place” to evacuate the garbage cans, it is explained in the entourage of Gérald Darmanin. In a letter on Tuesday, the police headquarters underlines, based on the General Code of Local Authorities, that “the town hall holds the safety police on the public highway”.
“As such, it is within its competence to request a private company or to requisition agents for the execution of the mission of removal of trash cans and garbage”, adds the prefecture which can “in a second time” give formal notice the City to do so. If this procedure “remains unsuccessful, the prefect of police can replace” the town hall, “in the event of an emergency when the observed or foreseeable breach of good order, health and public safety requires it”, adds Prefecture.
Targeted requisition requests
The assessment of the situation in terms of public health and safety is the responsibility of the Regional Health Agency (ARS), “State service competent in the matter”, further indicates the prefecture.
“Let the State assume its responsibilities”, said the first deputy (PS) Emmanuel Grégoire on Tuesday, according to which the government “creates a social crisis and requires local authorities to request a requisition”. “Are they asking all the mayors to requisition? To Edward Philippe? “, former Prime Minister of Emmanuel Macron and mayor of Le Havre, a city also affected by the garbage collectors’ strike, he noted to underline the political nature of the showdown.