The victories of municipal elections can visibly, quickly climb up to the head. In the town of Balagny-sur-Thérain in the Oise region, several municipal councillors elected are already at the heart of a controversy. The list to which they belong, that of Philip Marshal, a former councillor of the opposition, has largely prevailed in the second round against the mayor outgoing, Marie-Odile Guillou. To celebrate their victory, several members of this list have wanted to capture the moment in photo at a private party in one of the colistières, Angie Monribot, Sunday 28 June. But it is this image that today is a scandal, reports France 3 Hauts-de-France.

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The photo shows nine of the members of the list of Philip Marshall all smiles... trying to make the fingers of honour. It has been shared by Angie Monribot on his profile Facebook, and very quickly re-released by many accounts, so much so that the picture has not been difficult to circulate in the town and to arrive in the hands of the opposing forces. With the local chain, the mayor outbound Marie-Odile Guillou said that it was "sad for [her] village". "People are shocked, outraged (...) This gives a very bad image. When one is elected, it is necessary to remain worthy," she estimated. Arrival in the third position, the candidate Isabelle Nightshade is on the same wavelength : "It is very violent. What a shame ! they have no respect for the citizens of the municipality".

"It sullies the village"

At the beginning of the week, the photo of the scandal has even been shared to other mayors of surrounding villages by the municipal official outgoing. The outrage is there, as palpable, and the snapshot is deemed "shameful". On 29 June, the photo has even been distributed in the boxes-with-letters of several inhabitants of Balagny-sur-Thérain who have not failed to express their "shock" at France 3. Some feel "insulted", especially as they know the colistière to the origin of the dissemination of the stereotype. She has also deleted her page Facebook since the release. "It fucks things up for the people, and it sullies the village. These people do not deserve their mandate," said one resident. Some have even pushed the case to the prefect of the Oise, while others would be willing to start a petition to demand the resignation of the elected board.

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on The side of the new municipal team, the colistière Angie Monribot said that "these fingers of honour, it was a joke" to "decompress". She spoke of a difficult campaign during which she has been "slandered" and "threatened verbally" and said that members of the campaign have been "harassed". "It was a private party. The photo has been stolen on my profile Facebook and so I'm going to file a complaint. All this will be settled in court," she added with France 3.

A complaint for defamation in preparation

The future mayor Philippe Maréchal, for its part, said Monday to the local chain that he was absent when this photo was taken. And explained : "This photo has been diverted from its objective. It was not intended to insult the population. We will lodge a complaint for defamation, especially as the photo was circulated on Monday within the town." Philip Marshall has also ensured that it would explain "directly" with his constituents, and "the force", stating in passing that he condemned the dump and that he "[will] it with [his] team".