Nice mayor proposes naming police headquarters square after Nicolas Sarkozy
The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, has announced his intention to name the square in front of the city’s future police headquarters after former French president Nicolas Sarkozy. The proposal comes only days after Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in the Libyan campaign financing case.
Estrosi, a former minister under Sarkozy and now a member of Horizons, justified his choice as a tribute to the “decisive action” Sarkozy carried out both as interior minister and as president, particularly in matters of public security. The naming will need to be approved by the municipal council during a vote scheduled for Friday.
The new police headquarters, due to open in October 2026, will bring together municipal and national police forces in a renovated hospital covering 50,000 square meters. The project is valued at more than €243 million, largely funded by the state.
The announcement sparked sharp criticism from the local opposition. Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux, an ecologist and candidate for the upcoming municipal elections, denounced the move as “a new provocation that damages the city’s image,” arguing that Nice should not be associated with a president convicted by the courts. She suggested honoring figures such as Robert Badinter instead.
This is not the first time Nice has named public spaces after controversial political figures. Streets and squares already bear the names of Charles Pasqua, Jacques Médecin, and Jacques Chirac.
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