For 2023 the mayor of Pantin renames the city “Pantine”

It’s like turning down a licorice candy, you mean “that’s nice, but no thanks.” This year, the mayor (PS) of Pantin, Bertrand Kerndecided to place its auspices “under the aegis of equality between women and men and the fight against violence against women”. But the first provision announced frankly leaves something to be desired. For the year 2023 the city of Pantin is renamed “Pantine”.

A showcase measure, and after?

According to Bertrand Kern, adding an “E” to the city name is a way to “challenge”. “We want there to be awareness of this equality between women and men which is not yet perfect, even if there have been improvements in recent years”explains the municipal councilor of this commune of Seine-Saint-Denis.

On the set of RMC, in front of Apolline Malherbe, he explained the following:

“When a local elected official makes concrete decisions, for example [quand] last year we hosted three Afghan dancers […] we’ve relocated them and we’re giving them a career path, nobody talks about it. When we set up an association café for women in a popular neighborhood […] can meet there […] nobody talks about it. And when you take the initiative to add a little e after Pantin, it ignites the debate.

On its website, the municipality adds that this “makes a reflection visible” and “brings a cause to the fore”.. Why not, as long as other measures are also taken followed by real positive effects for women.

The words of the opposition

Within the municipality, voices have been raised against this project. Like that of Geoffrey Carvalinho, city councilor (LR) of the opposition. “This decision was not voted on in the last city council, we learned about it through the mayor’s greeting card, ”he told the local newspaper Actu Seine-St-Denis. He has also heard that this name changes “devalues ​​the basic idea that was to make gender equality and the fight against domestic violence the great community cause of the year”. “Even if the decision is not legal, I find this counterproductive measurethis is a fight that deserves better than a publicity stunt “, He added.

For the moment, the only other project announced in support of the great community cause of Pantine… erm Pantine, is that of an exhibition, “designed to pay homage to those who are still too often forgotten greats of history, and to young Pantinoises and Pantinois who represent the next generation of tomorrow”. To be found from January 15, 2023 at the doors of the Hôtel de Ville.

One photo credit: Youtube screenshots / Pantin