At the end of the secret ballot election, Philippe Greffier is officially elected mayor of Castelnaudary. This is a culmination for the man who has worked in the shadow of Patrick Maugard for over 30 years.
On the steps of the town hall, a large screen topped with a pergola is installed in a corner of the building. Several well-dressed locals wait outside the city hall on this sunny Saturday. However, the event that will occur a few minutes later is more about democratic life than a wedding. The newly elected municipal council of Castelnaudary, chosen last week, will officially take office.
If the turnout during the election didn’t break any records, the presence of many residents demonstrates a certain attachment of the Chauriens to local politics. Since the council chamber is not large enough, many spectators of Philippe Greffier’s installation and his majority will watch the power transition from the outside through a video broadcast.
A major change is happening at 22 Cours de la République. Patrick Maugard, at the head of the cassoulet capital since 1995, officially hands over the reins. After 31 years of reign, the elected official is about to declare mayor the man known to all as his right-hand man. The Chauriens have come to witness this highly symbolic handover.
Since the victory of the “Castelnaudary en confiance” list in the municipal elections last Sunday, several twists and turns have taken place. Firstly, complaints filed by two RN candidates against Hélène Giral have fueled tension before the municipal council meeting. At the same time, an opposition councilor, Jeanne Dijou, announced her resignation before even taking office. A decision acknowledged by the outgoing mayor, Patrick Maugard. Kalvin Derkaoui takes the place of the resigning councilor in the “Castelnaudary d’abord” group.
As the senior member of the session, Jacqueline Ratabouil presided over the debates before the secret ballot election of Philippe Greffier and his deputies. The elected official, at the head of the winning list, is elected the first deputy mayor of Castelnaudary with 27 votes against 6 in favor of Jean-Baptiste Mouton. The nine deputies, designated in Philippe Greffier’s list, are also elected with 27 votes against 6 blank votes.
Amid applause, Philippe Greffier becomes the 43rd mayor to wear the tricolor scarf in the capital of Lauragais. “Being mayor of the world capital of cassoulet is no small feat,” concludes the first Chaurien magistrate in his first speech. From a young municipal councilor to the position of the first deputy mayor of Castelnaudary, Philippe Greffier has, over three decades, built his political personality. His election is seen as “an additional responsibility,” somewhat a consecration for him.
