Angers inhabitants "chat" their eyes in internet talk with the mayor

Prefecture Mall where troubles are criticized

News analysis. - The bimonthly chat of Angers mayor, Jean-Claude Antonini, published on the town hall website on Tuesday is an interesting sum-up of the local issues the inhabitants have had in mind during the last months. These seem to reflect contradictory worries. At the same time, chatters recall civic duty, the defence of French as mother language but also their confidence in just board signs to prevent troubles and noise from youths in Prefecture Mall.

If same people criticize the tax increase, others, meanwhile, refuse categorically Sunday economic activity which could possibly fuel revenues and jobs. Angers inhabitants seem worried about the implementation of civic duty. Positioned at the beginning of the chat, an elector recalls that "vote is a duty, above all next year" while Mr Antonini points out that abstention reflects "despair". This unanimity is cracked regarding the choice of English words for the international brand of the city : "Angers Loire Valley". An inhabitant thinks that "We must defend our national language before all" (instead of using English) but the mayor notices it is possible to love French and speak another language.

"Pround to be Angevins"

The only economic issue evoked in the chat is the opening of superstores on Sundays. On that point again, very fixed opinions are expressed : according to an inhabitant, these openings are a "coup regardless of employees and family life".  The mayor considers these openings are "a war" he believed "was over for 150 years". Both seem to ignore that parking lots are full of cars during no working days. Impression of pride and unconsciousness of what is at stake presently emerges from that chat in which, to a certain extent, questions were as interesting as answers.