The mayor of Capestang, Pierre Polard, sentenced for refusing the opposition platform

Le maire de Capestang, Pierre Polard, a été condamné par le tribunal administratif de Montpellier. Midi Libre

La commune de Capestang devra verser la somme de 1 500 € à l’élu d’opposition, Bruno Esposito, qui n’avait pu publier sa tribune en juin 2022 sur le bulletin municipal.

The mayor of Capestang, Pierre Polard, was convicted by the Montpellier administrative court in a judgment rendered this Tuesday, April 9.
The court condemned the mayor for excess of power and infringement of the right of expression of elected opposition officials. The magistrates thus annul the decision of Pierre Polard to refuse Bruno Esposito's column in issue number 18 of the municipal information bulletin for June 2022.

The municipality will also have to pay the opposition elected official the sum of 1 500 € for costs incurred and not included in costs. The remainder of Bruno Esposito's requests were rejected. The municipality's conclusions were all rejected.

Two publications sent to the mayor

During the publication of n° 18 of the municipal bulletin, the mayor of Capestang received two op-eds from the opposition. He had refused the two publications in the space reserved for them. Instead of this free expression space, the majority decided to publish an information message explaining the reasons for the absence of publication of an opposition forum. What Bruno Esposito has always forcefully contested.