The strength of the Association of French Mayors is its independence, its representativeness, its pluralism and its ability to speak on behalf of all mayors," said David Lisnard, the new president of the AMF, elected on Wednesday. The strength of the Association of Mayors of France is its independence, its representativeness, its pluralism and its ability to speak on behalf of all mayors," said David Lisnard, the new president of the AMF, elected on Wednesday, on France Bleu on Thursday 18 November. The Republican mayor of Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes), elected with 62% of the votes cast, won against the UDI mayor of Sceaux (Hauts-de-Seine) Philippe Laurent and outgoing secretary general of the AMF. The 52 year old elected official succeeds François Baroin

In the resolution that he is to present on Thursday afternoon at the 103rd congress of the AMF, David Lisnard has chosen to fight with "firmness" against the "centralizing attempts of power, whatever the power". He assures that the position of the AMF "is not personalized" according to the president of the Republic, "It is not for or against Emmanuel Macron, for or against François Hollande or for or against Nicolas Sarkozy. It is for communal freedom, responsibility and local efficiency to fight against the effects of bureaucratization." However, according to him,"we have unfortunately seen on the last presidencies of the Republic of the will to recentralize, which is always to the detriment of the efficiency of public services."

Participating in legislative work and investing in health care institutions

Among the proposals he plans to make in the coming weeks, David Lisnard wants the AMF "to participate in the drafting of texts that concern public authorities and the communal organization". In the field of health, he also asks that "mayors should once again be presidents of hospital boards and that local authorities should be able to invest in health establishments, provided that this is a transfer of competences that is financially compensated".

The new president of the AMF was keen to point out the association's interests, namely "defending municipalities" and "embodying the consensus of mayors". "The AMF does not defend corporatist interests, on the contrary. It proposes a vision of decentralization, of efficiency of public services", he continued. David Lisnard presented himself as "one of the inhabitants", mayor of Cannes, "a town that makes France shine". " If I can speak on behalf of the mayors of France, it is because the people of Cannes have put their trust in me, and I have not forgotten that," concluded David Lisnard.

Source: www.francetvinfo.fr