“We’re going to break your knees”, “we’re going to kill you”: Sébastien Denaja denounces intimidation and leaves the Sète municipal council

Sébastien Denaja says he is regaining his “freedom”, while looking ahead to 2026. It remains to be seen in what role. Midi Libre – NICOLAS ZARROUK

FREE MIDI INFO – The regional elected official (PS) throws in the towel. He leaves his position as opposition municipal councilor denouncing "intimidation" and wishes, through this act, "to challenge" the Sétois.

What motivates your decision to leave the Sète municipal council ?

I will be elected municipal until the vote on the administrative account next June. This is a carefully considered decision. I do it because I want to challenge the people of Sétois about the situation in the city. Strong gestures are needed, denouncing anti-democratic practices, which do not conform to republican ethics, and reporting methods worthy of a banana republic.

What do you mean by that ?

François Commeinhes condemns us to political practices worthy of the 19th century. We have been supporting a municipal council behind closed doors for four years. This is not normal. We are faced with a permanent lie, with totally opaque management.

"I was threatened: “We're going to break your knees”, “we're going to kill you&rdquo ;"

For example ?

It's been two years since the municipal council denounced the project for a future 45-meter tower in the eastern district. We were told that it did not exist, even though the principle of its existence was voted on at the last council! I also want to recall comments which referred to the extermination of opponents, before apologizing for it 2 hours and 30 minutes later, on the basis of a note written by his office…hellip ; This is the mandate for an end of reign.

Several weeks ago, you spoke openly about intimidation against you…

Indeed, and intimidation against loved ones, such as cuts in subsidies to presidents of associations who were on my list, administrative procedures which amount to the misuse of power against ’ rsquo;former running mates… I also want to say that during the municipal campaigns of 2014 and 2020, and even after, I was the subject of threats, physical and personal intimidation, from small strikes in the service of ;rsquo;a system. I have not filed a complaint and I will not do so. But there were witnesses. In 2014, I was threatened: “We're going to break your knees”, “we know where your children go to school”, “we will die”. I was recently arrested in the street with my partner. A man shows me a photo of me eating a sandwich and says: “We know what you're doing, where you are”…

"Without the Region, nothing big is happening in Sète. Every day, I am at the service of the Sétois"

Why talk about all this today ?

I want to tell the Sétois to wake up. Let's stop behaving like the subjects of a baron. I want to regain my freedom. With François Commeinhes, any constructive proposal is swept aside. We are reduced to a sterile opposition. I want to be useful. I am a regional advisor. Without the Region, nothing big happens in Sète. Every day, I am at the service of the Sétois. And I am totally committed to the prospect of 2026.

This means that you will run for office ?

Politics is like love, it’s built day after day. And life always has more imagination than us. I don't close any doors, but I want to be useful above all. Today, I am looking forward to continuing the regional adventure with Carole Delga.

Basically, I also want to say that there is a democratic anomaly in all the cities of France. I call for an overhaul of the voting method in municipal elections. This voting method does not correspond to the democratic requirements of the 21st century. A candidate who receives less than 50% of the votes holds 75% of the seats, there is an anomaly… This contributes to a psychology which leads to the abuse of power. I propose to the legislator to reduce the majority bonus of 50% of the seats to the list coming first, to 25%. As in the regional councils.

Is your resignation not likely to disunite the left opposition ?

I have nothing to reproach my left-wing colleagues. I have respect for Véronique Calueba. I wish them good luck. I have respect for my former running mates. But politics is not my job. As Frêche said: “I am free, no one holds me by the bowl”. And if I believe in coming together, I in no way want to follow the movement of Jean-Luc Mélenchon. I am a traveling companion of Carole Delga, representative of a responsible left, which does not ally itself with forces which are in ideological drift.

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