The mayor of the European city with an anti-Semitic statement

The mayor of Augignac, a small town of about 825 residents in the Dordogne region of southwestern France, is facing the possibility of suspension or removal from his position following the publication of an anti-Semitic response on social media. The French Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nunez, announced that disciplinary sanctions were being considered against him, and emphasized that the things that were said were not in line with the responsibility assigned to an elected official.

Dordogne, known to many by its historical name Périgord, is one of the regions most associated with French tourism. It is a green and pastoral district, known for its prehistoric heritage, medieval villages and rich regional cuisine. The area is traditionally divided into four sub-regions, the “four colors of Perigor”: the black, white, green and purple Perigor, each characterized by a unique landscape, history and cultural identity.

The affair began on December 4, when Mayor Bernard Bezina, then a member of the Socialist Party, responded to a Facebook post by the Liberation newspaper that dealt with Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, amid calls for a boycott by several countries. In his response he wrote: “Yes to boycott! France is too Jewish to boycott!” This statement provoked angry reactions and led to a series of legal, political and administrative measures.

The French Ministry of the Interior strongly condemned the remarks. According to Minister Nuñez, the mayor “no longer possesses the moral authority necessary to carry out his duties”. At the minister’s request, Bazina was summoned to an official meeting with representatives of the central government last week to clarify the seriousness of his words, which were defined as incompatible with his status as mayor. The sanctions under consideration range from a temporary suspension by order of the Minister of the Interior to removal from office by decision of the Council of Ministers.

Dordogne itself is mainly associated with a particularly rich historical past. The area is sometimes referred to as “the land of a thousand and one castles”, due to an unusual concentration of medieval fortresses, built mainly during the Hundred Years’ War between France and England. Among the well-known sites are the Bayenac castle towering above the Dordogne river, the Castellano castle on the other side, as well as fortified towns (bastides) from the 13th century such as Monfazia and Dom.

According to the general code of local authorities in France, the suspension of a mayor can last up to one month. Impeachment, on the other hand, is an extremely rare step, and it entails disqualification from political life for a year. Since the beginning of the Fifth Republic, only six mayors have been removed from office in France. At the same time as the administrative procedures, a legal procedure was opened and an investigation was opened in the city of Friga for a racist insult in public. Bernard Bezina is expected to appear in January before the prosecutor’s representative, and will be fined 500 euros.

Phrygia and the surrounding area are also known as important centers of prehistoric culture. In the nearby Vaser river valley, there are some of the most important caves in the world for the study of prehistoric man, including the Lascaux cave, where the paintings date back to about 17 thousand years ago, and the site of La Izzy-de-Taillac, known as the “prehistoric capital of the world”.

The Socialist Party announced Bezina’s immediate removal from its ranks, and strongly condemned his words. The mayor himself has since apologized for the publication, and claimed that his words deviated from his original intention and that he was not aware of the anti-Semitic charge of the phrase he used. According to him, his reaction stemmed from anger at reports about the situation in Palestine and disappointment at France’s position regarding Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Later he expressed regret and acknowledged his responsibility as an elected official.

Organizations for the fight against racism and anti-Semitism also responded to the affair. The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) condemned the statements and expressed concern about the decision to resort to an alternative procedure instead of a full prosecution. The organization’s representatives in the region emphasized that this is a serious and unacceptable incident from a public figure. While the proceedings are ongoing, it is possible that Bernard Bezina will appear before the authorities as an individual and not as mayor, if a decision is made to impeach him.