“Mohed Altrad? Represented. It is with these words that the Montpellier metropolitan council opened (almost) on Tuesday. As is always the case, for eighteen months, to each municipal and metropolitan council of Montpellier during the call of elected officials. The entrepreneur, candidate (DIV) unsuccessful in the last municipal elections of the prefecture of Hérault, has never sat on the town hall or the metropolitan council. His list, which came third, collected 18.12% of the vote in the second round.
“I do not sit there, but that does not mean that I am not aware of what is happening there”, he explained in April to Free noon, alongside the presentation of the half-year results of the multinational of which he is the eponymous creator. Mohed Altrad does not like functioning in hemicycles (which the law also makes compulsory for the expression of democracy). And clearly does not see the point “of spending four hours in a meeting, which is very often not constructive”.
“Important to honor its mandate”
The point of view is not shared by Alenka Doulain. On the contrary, the various left-wing opponent (We Are) is extremely critical and never misses the opportunity to speak to the various items on the agenda. The municipal and metropolitan councils, which were often simple recording chambers in the past (although this was less the case in recent years when Michaël Delafosse was in the opposition), have become very animated.
“If Mohed Altrad does not have time to sit and prefers to concentrate on the activities of his group, I think it is better to leave room for municipal councilors who will have the time to devote to this function, explains- she does. And the remark is also valid for Philippe Saurel [l’ancien maire divers gauche] who does not sit there either. It is important for local democracy to properly honor its mandate. I am quite surprised that this common sense appeal to say: “either we sit or we leave our place” is not relayed by the elected representatives of the majority. “
In March, the leader of We Are called for the resignation of Mohed Altrad… to whose side she was elected, after merging the lists in the in-between rounds. An appeal denounced by Serge Guiseppin, another elected opposition member, from the Altrad list. “She forgets that Mr. Altrad allowed her to be elected,” he plague. The representative of the “Heart and Action” group (alongside which the We Sommes elected officials did not wish to sit) believes that the work is done upstream “in the committees where we sit”. Suggesting that the municipal council is only a registration chamber. One way to justify the absences of Mohed Altrad.