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00:00 We are now with Nicolas Meillat-Rossignol, the mayor of Rouen and one of the heavyweights of the Socialist Party.
00:06 Thank you for being with us. Tell me, what are you expecting? Why are you here at the Elysée Palace?
00:11 This is the French president, so if the French president invites you, you have to come, of course,
00:16 even though we have different political orientations.
00:21 We expect several things.
00:23 First of all, a clear message of reconciliation of the country.
00:28 France is divided. We need to reunite people.
00:31 And that's the task of the French president. That's the first thing.
00:35 We also need clear acts and commitments on concrete action.
00:40 Action on suburbs, action on cities, action on education, action on security.
00:49 You know that several mayors have been harassed, attacked. This is just unacceptable.
00:56 And finally, we need also a real, you know, a new partnership with local public authorities like mayors.
01:04 Mayors are just on the ground. You know, they deal with people.
01:08 So the state and the French president should listen to them.
01:13 We've seen less violence in the last couple of nights.
01:16 Do you think this wave of violence, these clashes, these riots will end soon?
01:22 Maybe, but the fuel behind is still there.
01:25 So you can't just say, you know, the riots are over, then the story is over.
01:29 The story is not over. It's a society problem.
01:32 So the whole society has to deal with it.
01:34 Nicolas Meir, Rossignol, thank you very much. Mayor of Rouen.
01:38 As you heard, mayors here want more action from the French government,
01:42 also more financial means in these difficult times.