The Italian Gozi is running in Paris for "strengthen European citizenship"

“My goal is to use this electoral campaign to push European citizenship even further, to bring Europe in Paris and contribute to improving a city that always welcomed me when I was a student and which, in my opinion, deserves more today”. This is how the MEP for Renew Europe, Sandro Gozi, tells AGI about his candidacy for the Council of Paris in support of Rachida Dati, current Minister of Culture in Franceformer spokesperson of President Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential elections, Minister of Justice in the first and second Fillon governments. The first round of elections is scheduled for next year March 15with a possible run-off on March 22.

“I did it first and foremost to continue to embody and make known, through action, the rights of European citizens. European citizens can vote and be elected in any Member State in which they reside, both for European elections and for local and municipal ones, but very few know it. I am 14 million to have these rights, and very few are aware of it – explains Gozi -. The first reason is therefore to continue this one of mine transnational choice: embody, exercise and live the European citizenship, showing an example of what I would like normality to be.”

“The second reason is that I have lived a long time Paris: I returned in 2018 and, in total, spent 15 years there. It is a city that has given me a lot, that I know well and that I believe needs a strong change, from safety to mobility, from cleaning to waste management. There are many things that don’t work and that aren’t up to par with a world capital. As a resident, it seemed right to me to respond to this request. Furthermore, in Paris there are, in our opinion, among the 90,000 and 100,000 European residents: many are registered on the electoral lists, and this candidacy is also a way to address ourselves to a European electorate living in the city“.

You propose yourself as a link between Brussels and Paris. What can Europe do?

“Citizens must be fully informed and aware of opportunity that Europe offers to the territories, and which are not always exploited. For a city like Paris there are possibilities linked to the circular economy, the development of the local digital economy, cycle paths and transport. Much of the renovation of the Paris metro has already taken place thanks to regional development funds. I believe that, for the circular economy, local transport and also culture, Europe offers much more than is used. And then Europe needs many witnesses, ambassadors and local representatives: it cannot just be the Commission office in Paris, but people with responsibility and mandate who are committed to bringing European opportunities to the local level”.

If elected, will Gozi leave the European Parliament? “No. First of all, let’s see how it goes, but my candidacy was conceived more to campaign than to be elected with certainty. And in any case there is no incompatibility between being a councilor of Paris and a member of the European Parliament.”