Elections Municipales

[idun]

I have just found a site where it is all clearly indicated. I never lived in a commune of less than 1000, so it is as you said sweet17.

So yes, you have a half decent choice in the little communes, whereas, it would seem that in the bigger ones, there is now less choice.

[NormanH]

http://media.interieur.gouv.fr/ouijevote/index.html#left

[Gardian]

Just had a visit from Mme Le Maire!!!

It was to ask if we were going to attend the meeting tonight (of all the bods on her liste), but it was really a bit of ill-disguised electioneering.

No problem with that - she's been a good Maire, who has put an end to the clan in-fighting that previously existed. Having said that, there is a 2nd liste this time.

We'll see - anyway, I did get the full 3 kisses treatment, which I'd prefer from her than from the convict-like opponent!!!

[EmilyA]

As an outgoing member of the Conseil (I am not standing again), I am really looking forward to my 8am to 1pm stints at the election. Especially the second one when the clocks go on.

[Chancer]

I was out delivering the tracts tonight for the existing encumbents, I got verbally abused several times generally by those heavily in drink, I could not convince them that I did not represent that group, had volunteered as an acte de citoyennité and that I hadnt even decided what list to vote for, you need thick skin to be involved in the local politics here, one even racially abused me.

I learnt something that really dismayed me, the woman at the head of the opposition list is an outgoing member of the conseil municipale as were 3 others on her list, I thought they had jumped ship to be against the existing Maire but no she was the head of the opposition list last time round and they were all with her then, they won places on the conseil municipale under the old rules hence diluting the majority presence, good democracy you would think, what i learnt and what shocked me is that en masse they refused to attend any of the meetings over the 6 years of the mandat, they know absolutely nothing of the running of the village except for mounting an opposition campaign, their selfish actions meant that the conseil municipale was short of 4 members who would have wanted to participate.

Its yet another manifestation of the mentality around here, if you are not my friend then you are my enemy, and to be my friend you have to be part of my inbred family. 

[Lehaut]

As an outgoing member of the Conseil (I am not standing again), I am really looking forward to my 8am to 1pm stints at the election.

Not forgetting the compulsory break at 0930 for a "collation" which for us is bread, rillettes of duck and a bottle of red to wash it down!!

[EmilyA]

When I did the lunchtime shift we all took a course and sat down to a three course meal. Voters wished us Bon Appétit.

[EmilyA]

This may be the only time in French electoral history when lunch has included a treacle tart.

[idun]

Have the french had it before EA?

[EmilyA]

Well nobody knew what it was, but they wolfed it down! It was funny really because the mayor came round the day before and said he would bring the main course and the deputy mayor would do the starter so eventually I worked out that I was meant to bring the pudding.

Like all prudent English housewives in France I had a (rather elderly) tin of golden syrup in the back of the larder, so treacle tart it was.

[idun]

EA, [:D] Good, I am glad.

I have never understood it ever being made......... it is the only UK dessert that I would put in room 101, that  along with the french Le Pudding.

 I truly cannot think of one decent thing to say about it, so I'll say no more[Www]

[EmilyA]

You have never tasted mine, Idun......

[idun]

[:)]That is true, but, I'll put it this way. IF you saw me you wouldn't need to guess too much that I like my cakes and puddings. And for me it is too sweet, and the texture offered by the breadcrumbs and once with a mix of crumbs and ground almonds, I find truly revolting, claggy, like a sad or undercooked cake.

I love treacle sponge, I have even been known to have a sandwich of bread and butter spread with golden syrup, but the tart, no, not the tart for me I'm afraid.[:D]

[suein56]

[quote user="idun"] 'claggy' [/quote]

Now there's a word I understand ... as being a word that formed part of my past, but I wouldn't use it for treacle tart. OK, I agree, the treacley part might stick to your teeth a tad but oooh the taste, it's divine. Mind you I haven't tasted one for a while now.

So congratulations Emily on a successful pudding.

Sue

[suein56]

[quote user="Chancer"] ... what i learnt and what shocked me is that en masse they refused to attend any of the meetings over the 6 years of the mandat, they know absolutely nothing of the running of the village except for mounting an opposition campaign ... [/quote]

What a shame.

Isn't the fact that they refused to attend meetings a (legal) reason for barring them ? That would seem logical to me, but I suppose logic has nothing to do with politics.

Sue

[EmilyA]

I think the key thing is to have a thin layer of pastry, a few breadcrumbs and an equally thin layer of treacle with a good dash of lemon. I agree that the commercial ones have far too much filling and are much too sweet.

Anyway, tomorrow they are getting a chocolate tiffin refrigerator cake at coffee time.

[idun]

I have tried all sorts of these tarts and not for me.

Re not attending, I doubt it is a reason for barring them. It is hard enough to get any politican to attend these days. I watched with admiration when they said that once when Paris had flooded the elu got to the Senat or where ever by boat, good for them, would that politicans these days were so dedicated, the only thing that they all seem to keep up with is getting a decent salary and their expenses.

[NormanH]

In larger places it is a profitable rôle to be elected:

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9mun%C3%A9ration_des_acteurs_institutionnels_en_France

Maire

• Moins de 500 habitants : 646,25 €

• De 500 à 999 habitants : 1 178,46 €

• De 1 000 à 3 499 habitants : 1 634,63 €

• De 3 500 à 9 999 habitants : 2 090,81 €

• De 10 000 à 19 999 habitants : 2 470,95 €

• De 20 000 à 49 999 habitants : 3 421,32 €

• De 50 000 à 99 999 habitants : 4 181,62 €

• De plus de 100 000 habitants : 5 512,13 €

Adjoint au maire

• Moins de 500 habitants : 250,90 €

• De 500 à 999 habitants : 313,62 €

• De 1 000 à 3 499 habitants : 627,24 €

• De 3 500 à 9 999 habitants : 836,32 €

• De 10 000 à 19 999 habitants : 1 045,40 €

• De 20 000 à 49 999 habitants : 1 254,48 €

• De 50 000 à 99 999 habitants : 1 672,65 €

• De 100 000 à 200 000 habitants : 2 508,97 €

• De plus de 200 000 habitants : 2 756,07 €

[mint]

[quote user="idun"]Re not attending, I doubt it is a reason for barring them. It is hard enough to get any politican to attend these days. I watched with admiration when they said that once when Paris had flooded the elu got to the Senat or where ever by boat, good for them, would that politicans these days were so dedicated, the only thing that they all seem to keep up with is getting a decent salary and their expenses.


[/quote]

Same at Westminster, Id.  Remember how they used to literally get them out of their sick beds and wheel them in by pushchair?

The one quibble I have with your post:  surely you mean an INDECENTLY LARGE salary?[6]

 

[Rabbie]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

[quote user="idun"]Re not attending, I doubt it is a reason for barring them. It is hard enough to get any politican to attend these days. I watched with admiration when they said that once when Paris had flooded the elu got to the Senat or where ever by boat, good for them, would that politicans these days were so dedicated, the only thing that they all seem to keep up with is getting a decent salary and their expenses.


[/quote]

Same at Westminster, Id.  Remember how they used to literally get them out of their sick beds and wheel them in by pushchair?

[/quote]That was because in those days the Government had a very narrow majority and MPswere only allowed to vote if they were actually on the premises. It always seemed a bit odd that a comatose person could cast a vote

[Jonzjob]

Well, our vote has been cast now. We will be getting a new maire as our standing jobbie is standing down.

(Thinks? Was he standing up before [8-)] )

[mint]

I've been doing a bit of sleuthing by sneaky questioning of neighbours and acquaintances in the village and also studying the profiles and backgrounds of the candiates.

In this way, I have managed to work out the right- and left-leaning lists.

I am going for people who I do know and have had dealings with and I believe I have sussed out  those who are there for the ride.  Strangely enough, that seems to have worked out to be a mixture of left and right and men and women, so surprisingly balanced, if only just in my own mind!

OH has conceded that one of the left-wing bods, someone living just down the road, needs to be struck off and he has agreed that he will now need to vote for one single person from the other list!

Well, that's about as flexible as he will ever be but what do you expect from a Welsh valleys boy?[:D]

Norman,  I sort of "knew" that our mayor would be on around 600 and the adjoint around 300 so not that far out but I was most interested to see what the president and the prime minister get!  

[Gardian]

Just been to vote.

Bit of a disappointment. Normally at any sort of 'do' in our village, they lay on slices of pizza and a glass of something.

Nothing today - not even treacle tart!

The 2 mayoral candidates could each have had a little spread on rival tables and you could then vote ................

[Patf]

[quote user="Gardian"]Just been to vote.

[/quote]

Me too. As this is a very small commune there's only one list of 7 people and we know all of them quite well.

I was puzzled by the method - thought you had to tick them. But just put paper in envelope unless you want to reject someone.

The current Maire is retiring, a shame because he's très gentil. so no doubt we'll find out who's the new Maire in due course.

[Chancer]

Well my voting experience didnt dissapoint and I'm pleased to say that it has made my day, Pachapapa would be proud of me [:-))]

I went prepared and tooled up to make mischief in front of an audience, I decided to overlook the fact that I have a passport and take my oldbut still valid  paper driving license dated 1980 which of course does not carry a photo but does have the EU logo on it.

The guy scrutinising the documents is a nice chap and I was relieved that he called over the present Maire to make a decision, very pleased as we have some history and I knew that he would over-react and not see the wood from the trees.

A very black and white guy he just said Non! it must have a photo, I pulled out a copy of the arrèté du 12 décembre 2013 and told him that of the 14 acceptable pièces d'identité it was the only one that I had and the arrèté does not specify a photograph "que voulez-vous que je fasse?".  He asked for my carte d'identité and I had great pleasure in seeing his shocked and confused expression when I told him he was asking me for something that doesnt exist, as I had hoped he was so flustered that he didnt even think to mention my passport, I expect only a handfull of people in my commune have ever had one, certainly not him.

He dug his heels in and insisted that it had to have my photo, I said that were it to have one I would no longer resemble a photo taken at 17 when I took my driving test but he remained predictably intransigient with the shrugging shoulders.

So in a flourish I whipped out a passport photo taken when I was 15 and a Pritt stick and stuck it to my drivers license and was allowed to vote. [:D]

And I still voted for his list [:P]