Pissevin, a high-rise neighborhood just 15 minutes by streetcar from the iconic amphitheater, made national headlines in 2024 when a 10-year-old was killed by a stray bullet in an ongoing investigation suspected to be linked to drug trafficking.
“Ten to 15 years ago, crime was mostly petty theft and burglaries, but some people in underprivileged areas turned to the drug trade for economic gain, as it offered more money with the same prison time if caught,” said Salim El Jihad, a Nîmes resident and head of the local NGO Suburban.
The National Rally is targeting Nîmes for a symbolic gain, with a close three-way race emerging between Communist Vincent Bouget, the National Rally’s Julien Sanchez, and conservative Franck Proust, Nîmes’ deputy mayor from 2016 to 2020.
Bouget, supported by most other left-wing parties, including moderates like the Socialist Party, told POLITICO that security is a significant theme in the race, raising “a broader question around social structures.”
“What citizens are asking for is more human presence, including public services and social workers,” Bouget stated.
The winner will succeed Jean-Paul Fournier, the 80-year-old conservative mayor who has led Nîmes on the right for 25 years.
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