Last Thursday the flashes crackled in the old parsonage, before a special meeting of the city council. Once the call was over, like at school, the adult city council members proceeded to install the youth city council. An installation that took place according to the rules of the art, with nomination of candidates for the position of “young mayor”, secret ballot and solemn counting under the watchful eye of the assessors. The stakes were high and the capture of the city whetted the appetite. Of the eight young city council members elected by their colleagues from the Fanny Reich school, six were candidates for the highest office.
At the end of the tension, in a fierce second round against his unlucky one-night opponent Lana Raulet, by five votes to three, it was finally Mathis Carrère, 10 years old, who was chosen for the record and posterity, first ” young mayor” of Saint-Lizier.
He was immediately appointed and, wearing Michel Pichan’s tricolor scarf, he appointed, for parity, Marilou Rech as first assistant and Enzo Carrère – this remains a family affair – as second assistant. Lana Raulet, Lana Fouet, Soline Boulogne, Timothy Mouloumbou and Rosa Fontvieille are also part of the composition of this very first municipal youth council. They will serve a two-year term of office.
Each of them received a ‘chosen citizen’ bag, including a pin, a USB key and, most importantly, a tricolor scarf and a chosen official card.
The “young mayor” who immediately adopted the dress and demeanor of the office thanked all his comrades who voted for him.
“I didn’t believe it at all. It’s fantastic! I’m happy to represent the children of the city of Saint-Lizier.” He is already teeming with projects: further improving the school, creating a city stadium, setting up a suggestion box for all other schoolchildren, organizing a waste collection day. “I will carry out all my plans,” he declared solemnly.
“It was part of our program to create a municipal youth council,” rejoices Michel Pichan. “Especially to teach young people a sense of citizenship, to experience this in society and to teach them to share and respect the ideas of others. These young people have a collective consciousness. And who knows, this could give rise to vocations. From a civic point of view already a great step. A milestone for future generations.”