Greens demand consistent standards from mayor

The Greens, a political movement, and elected officials on the municipal council of Besançon have urged mayor Ludovic Fagaut to apply the same standards to all political leaders, regardless of their party. They specifically criticized the use of the term "nazi" as an insult and the attacks against the mayor and his family, calling the normalization of genocides unacceptable. They also emphasized that condemning such language must be matched by equal firmness against threats and racist remarks directed at others.

Mayor's past comments called into question

The Greens pointed to a September 11, 2020, statement by mayor Ludovic Fagaut, in which he described the policy of Anne Vignot as an "ideology of green Khmer." This reference, according to L'Est Républicain, alludes to the genocidal regime in Cambodia. The Greens argue this shows inconsistency, as the mayor has not publicly condemned such language in the past, despite his current stance against genocidal normalization.

Mayor's response to sexual threats criticized

The Greens also highlighted the threats of sexual violence faced by Séverine Véziès during a political meeting on May 21, 2025. They noted that while the municipal group of Ludovic Fagaut condemned these actions, the mayor did not publicly support Véziès. The Greens questioned whether the mayor, as a candidate, had a duty to explicitly condemn such threats.

Racist attacks on council member ignored

The Greens cited the repeated racist insults and online harassment faced by Hasni Alem, an opposition member of the municipal council. On April 23, 2026, a motion was introduced to condemn racist attacks and support victims, specifically mentioning Alem. The motion was rejected, and the Greens criticized the mayor for voting against it, calling it a failure to show solidarity with Alem.

Far-right group's actions go unaddressed

The Greens also referenced the disruption of a New Year's event by the far-right group Némésis, which displayed a banner criticizing Anne Vignot. The mayor reportedly wrote to Vignot to denounce the incident, but the Greens argue that his public condemnation of the group was insufficient. They also questioned his relationship with Yona Faedda, a group member and campaign supporter, who was later convicted for defamation.

Call for consistency in political behavior

Through these examples, the Greens argue that the mayor's responses to insults and threats are inconsistent. They believe that condemning remarks against one official should not prevent scrutiny of another's actions. They also criticize the use of legal threats to suppress political debate. The Greens demand greater consistency from the mayor, emphasizing that the fight against racism and threats should not depend on political identities. They conclude that maintaining standards for all is more challenging than making threats.