"France is divided, we need to reunite people": Mayors' demands to president macron following the riots

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00:00 We are now with Nicolas Meillat-Rossignol, the mayor of Rouen and one of the heavyweights of the Socialist Party.

00:06 Thank you for being with us. Tell me, what are you expecting? Why are you here at the Elysée Palace?

00:11 This is the French president, so if the French president invites you, you have to come, of course,

00:16 even though we have different political orientations.

00:21 We expect several things.

00:23 First of all, a clear message of reconciliation of the country.

00:28 France is divided. We need to reunite people.

00:31 And that's the task of the French president. That's the first thing.

00:35 We also need clear acts and commitments on concrete action.

00:40 Action on suburbs, action on cities, action on education, action on security.

00:49 You know that several mayors have been harassed, attacked. This is just unacceptable.

00:56 And finally, we need also a real, you know, a new partnership with local public authorities like mayors.

01:04 Mayors are just on the ground. You know, they deal with people.

01:08 So the state and the French president should listen to them.

01:13 We've seen less violence in the last couple of nights.

01:16 Do you think this wave of violence, these clashes, these riots will end soon?

01:22 Maybe, but the fuel behind is still there.

01:25 So you can't just say, you know, the riots are over, then the story is over.

01:29 The story is not over. It's a society problem.

01:32 So the whole society has to deal with it.

01:34 Nicolas Meir, Rossignol, thank you very much. Mayor of Rouen.

01:38 As you heard, mayors here want more action from the French government,

01:42 also more financial means in these difficult times.

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