France’s Mayor Resigns Following Arson Attack
Saint-Brevins-les-Pins Mayor, Yannick Morez, has submitted his resignation from the City Council after serving for 15 years, following an arson attack on his house and the lack of support from the government. Morez sent his letter of resignation to the Governorship of Loire-Atlantique on 9 May. Demonstrations have been held for months against the project of a refugee reception center in the city of Saint-Brevins-les-Pins, and Morez blames the extreme rightists, who have repeatedly demonstrated against the refugee center project, for the fire that broke out as a result of the arson of two cars in front of his house on the night of March 22. The fire spread to the house, but eyewitnesses woke the family by knocking on the door of the house, and an investigation was launched into the incident. Other parties’ deputies applauded Morez, and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his solidarity with Morez and his family and called the attack against them “shameful.” The Mayor has decided to move out of the city with his family and looks to the future with confidence.
