Laurent Suau, new president of the Lozère department: “Work more and better in the interest of all territories”

Laurent Suau ne veut pas rentrer dans la polémique. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

Laurent Suau revient sur les raisons qui l’ont poussé à se présenter à la présidence du département de la Lozère. Il assure vouloir réunir tous les gens de bonne volonté.

So you made a promise that you didn't keep…

In an agreement, there are always counterparts. What I wanted was for the proposals of the elected representatives of Mende to be heard and respected. I was approached by other councilors from both the majority and the opposition. I made requests in the interest of the territory that were not taken into account, so I decided to say stop. I thought that by having made this effort of openness at the time of Sophie Pantel's candidacy for deputy there would have at least been some reciprocity.

What were these requests precisely ?

I will come back to this at a future departmental council. But there is, for example, the question of health. We need to work between the Lozère Hospital and the François-Tosquelles psychiatric hospital. For the moment, this is not the case. The two establishments are looking at each other with suspicion, while there is a need for mutualization. As chairman of the supervisory board of the Lozère Hospital, I had offered to do the opposite with psychiatry. Even the unions are asking for it…

What do you say to the attacks you suffered during the session ?

There are always difficult words. That's politics. This is not the first time I've heard attacks against me from elected officials. I understand that they are upset. But I don't want to get into these controversies. What interests me is how we are going to work better and more in the interest of all the territories of this department.

You are also contributing to bringing back part of the right to key positions within the departmental council

I am trying to set up a meeting between people of good will. This is what should be done in Paris, between the Republican right, the center and the progressive left.

Furthermore, you will have to resign from your duties as mayor and president of a community of communes…

It will be heartbreaking. I have had a lot of fun since 2016, but with the team that is in place the future is assured.

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