Impossible to miss it. The room of the municipal council of the prefecture of Var was built so that the chair of the mayor of Toulon, larger, more imposing than the others, dominates the assistance. He is in the center of a circle, where the deputies sit, giving the whole thing an air of clan. The municipal councilors and the majority, they are relegated to the back of the room, and face this ring of power.
But on this Wednesday morning, the chair is empty. To the left of the phantom mayor, between two sighs, the dean of the municipal council who opens the meeting painfully reads her speech, the sheet glued to her nose.
“A much-deserved tribute”
“As a preamble, I would first like to pay tribute to Hubert Falco,” says Marcelle Gherardi. Indeed, I have been working with Hubert Falco since 2001 and I absolutely want everyone to pay him a much-deserved tribute. For me, it is not easy to speak today after twenty-two years spent with Mr. Hubert Falco without any reproaches to make. »
The speech has the air of a eulogy. But there is a small detail. Hubert Falco is not dead. Far from it, even. If the mayor of Toulon for 22 years is absent from the municipal council this Wednesday morning, it is because justice has decided so. On April 14, Hubert Falco was sentenced for embezzlement in the so-called “fridge” affair. And the earthquake-like sanction has fallen: the city councilor must return his mayor’s scarf.
Josée Massi, mayor in spite of herself
In an emergency, we had to think about the succession of the forever boss. “Being mayor was not really my wish”, recognizes Josée Massi. First deputy mayor since 2020, after a first term as assistant delegate for early childhood, this retired mathematics teacher defines herself as a political novice and close to Hubert Falco. Rather discreet and not really hungry for power. And yet it is she who finds herself, since this Wednesday morning, mayor of the Var prefecture, elected with 50 votes, or more than 80% of the vote.
A plebiscite-like vote, unsurprisingly, since Josée Massi had been dubbed by Hubert Falco in a letter to his constituents sent a few days after his ouster by the courts. “She will be able to watch over the destinies of the city so that the commitments that my team and I have made to the Toulonnais in 2020 are respected until the end of the mandate”, estimates Hubert Falco.
“Do you want me to introduce myself? These are the very first words of the newly elected mayor to the press. A not really trivial introduction, a sign that its place, originally, was not to be that one. When the city council elected her, Josée Massi was seized with a dizzying feeling. “A tsunami. I was not configured for this position. It hit us. We all experienced this as a trauma. »
A vice-captain
But she accepted the role of first magistrate out of “loyalty”. “My colleagues and the municipal team chose me as first assistant,” she recalls. “They say I don’t have the stature, the weight, the charisma, the thickness. I’m sorry. I am 55 kg. I am not overweight yet. »
A choice made in the light of the hierarchical position of Josée Massi, according to the municipal team. “To take a metaphor dear to Hubert Falco which would certainly validate, since we are in the shadow of Hubert Falco, in a rugby match, when the captain leaves, the match continues”, estimates Robert Cavanna, second deputy to the mayor in in charge of finances and strong man of the Toulon majority.
“When the captain of a team leaves the field, it is up to the vice-rugby captain to take over the armband”, insists Laurent Bonnet, deputy mayor of Toulon in charge of sports. “Just as on the pitch, a team that loses its captain remains united and continues the match started, it is up to us to continue the game with the same cohesion until the end of regulation time, abounds Josée Massi, visibly well inspired by the rugby culture of Toulon to justify the political situation of the city. This will be our way of honoring Hubert Falco. »
The “advice” of Hubert Falco
And the new captain of Toulon has a particularity. “He’s a person who really listens,” says Laurent Bonnet. She is loyal and knows how to listen as much as necessary before deciding when the time comes. “And, in these decision-making, Laurent Bonnet has no doubt: “for certain decisions, Josée Massi will not hesitate to consult Hubert Falco if necessary. “And to justify:” I think it would be unintelligent not to use the experience of someone like Mr. Falco, who has a course for Toulon, to ask for opinions and advice, “said the sports assistant.
“Hubert Falco is a friend, insists Josée Massi. It’s been thirty years. I don’t think he was punished with friendship. So he’s someone with experience. And I think advice is always good. And it’s not when someone’s down that you put your foot on it. I am loyal. I am faithful. I worked in town hall long before I was with him. We did great things and I’m not going to deny the friendship I have for Hubert Falco. »
“A hidden hand still rules everything”
Legally removed from power, will Hubert Falco therefore continue behind the scenes to pull the strings in Toulon, with the help of one of his closest followers? In opposition, the fear is great. “A hidden hand still directs everything”, accuses Amaury Navaranne, RN municipal councilor in Toulon. “The Toulonnais do not want a new puppet mayor guided by his predecessor. It is to despise the Toulonnais to make them believe that a new mayor from the municipal majority will stand out from the system put in place for twenty years. “It is not a change of person that is needed, claims André de Ubeda, PCF opposition adviser. It’s a system change. »
“Only the future will tell us but we will be extremely vigilant that the court decision is respected, but I am afraid that the mayor will become a spokesperson or the puppet of Hubert Falco”, is alarmed Cécile Muschotti , opposition municipal councilor from the presidential majority. “I am not a green plant”, insists Josée Massi. And to insist: “Yes, we are different. I will take a metaphor. Monsieur Falco built the house. He made the walls. The architecture is done. This is the program on which we were elected. I am different. I have a social touch. »
acting mayor
It is still necessary that the new mayor projects herself as such in the long term. According to some deputies, Josée Massi would be more of an interim mayor than anything else, pending the return of the chief. “The appeal has been lodged, recalls André Cavanna. It is not unthinkable to consider, we already have the example in the municipality of Montauban, that the appeal judge is much less severe, and that why not, Hubert Falco can resume his mandate as mayor of Toulon. Asked about the subject, Josée Massi refused to answer, recalling that “it would be the decision of the municipal council”.