Condemned for rape and sexual assault in 2021, the former mayor of the small town in Essonne seems to want to make a comeback six months before the municipal elections. From his former deputies to the opposition, no one wants to see the 67-year-old man involved in this election in any way.
The town still carries its reputation. «Half the people I talk to about Draveil (Essonne) mention the foot masseur scandal,» whispers François Damerval. A designation that tarnishes the city’s image but above all obscures the reality, according to this opposition councilor affiliated with the green group who wants to remind people of the facts: «Georges Tron is a rapist.»
On February 17, 2021, the man who was mayor of Draveil for over 25 years was definitively convicted on appeal of rape and sexual assault against a former municipal employee. The Paris Assize Court sentenced him to five years in prison, two of which were suspended, along with a six-year ban on running for office. «Extremely hurt by the collapse of the town,» the 67-year-old man no longer hides his likely involvement in the 2026 municipal elections.
Georges Tron (LR) will still be ineligible at the time of the election. But eight months ago, he filed a legal challenge to shorten this period. An «logical» initiative for someone who has always believed that his conviction was «unfounded.»
A position that makes him «even more dangerous,» according to Nous toutes 91, which points out that the former minister under François Fillon was dismissed in his appeal to the Court of Cassation. «We hope that his disqualification will be fully enforced, especially since he has already benefited from a sentence adjustment,» continues the feminist collective, which is «very aware of the likelihood that he will try to place a candidate in case of disqualification.»
Regardless of the judges’ decision at the end of the year, Georges Tron himself leaves doubt about his intentions for the upcoming election. «There is no automaticity in my candidacy if the appeal is successful, just as there is no certainty about my non-involvement in the campaign in case of a different decision,» states the former mayor of Draveil.
An attempted return to power in the city that the ecologist François Damerval describes as «abominable.» Leading the local left-wing opposition collective Réveil en commun, the councilor considers the weight that «would be on the victims» and «the fear of city employees who have been subjected to pressure from the former mayor at the time.»
«We are in a situation where power is given to people who are not aware of certain things. Georges Tron still does not understand the principle of consent,» emphasizes Raphaël Demonchy. In 2021, he co-founded the collective Ni Draveil ni ailleurs (Nada) in reaction to the «untenable» judicial and political situation in the city at the time. «There has always been violence in the way he managed his opponents with cases of intimidation. It is a way of acting that is completely consistent with the crime committed,» says Raphaël Demonchy, who supports the local left-wing opposition.
An echo heard from former supporters of Georges Tron. «For months, he has been attempting to destabilize the city,» confides Anne-Marie Jourdanneau-Fort (SE), who mentions «intimidation letters sent to elected officials» and reports the «fear of some female employees of seeing him return.»
Since Georges Tron’s resignation in 2021, the deputy in charge of the city and commerce has been working under the direction of the new mayor Richard Privat (LR), a former deputy mayor. In three years, the majority from Georges Tron’s list has increased taxes three times, resulting in a cumulative increase of over 30%.
This political direction eventually led to the rebellion of three majority councilors – Typhaine Bouby, Régis Philippe, and Stéphane Guin – who had their responsibilities withdrawn on June 5. Proof that the former mayor still has support in the city.
«This list is doing the opposite of what it was elected for,» denounces Georges Tron, who claims to have raised local taxes «only three times in 26 years of service.» A policy made possible by «the squandering of the city’s real estate values,» retorts Anne-Marie Jourdanneau-Fort, who asserts that the «city is less indebted» than under the former mayor’s term.
«Draveil is in a situation of under-taxation. This prevents banks from granting credit. Regulation was necessary.» «We followed his program, but it required adjustments due to the context. Just with Covid, for example,» continues the deputy in charge of the city and commerce.
Her majority will indeed present a candidate for the 2026 municipal election with the feeling that «the residents of Draveil want us to turn the page» and that «the French are tired of politicians of this kind,» insists Anne-Marie Jourdanneau-Fort.
A list that will have to compete with a united left led by François Damerval who acknowledges «the delay» that Draveil has compared to other municipalities. «We don’t want the campaign to focus on the issue of Georges Tron’s return. People want to be able to talk about the program,» summarizes Raphaël Demonchy, who is among his supporters.
The town still carries its reputation. «Half the people I talk to about Draveil (Essonne) mention the foot masseur affair,» whispers François Damerval. A designation that tarnishes the city’s image but above all obscures the reality, according to this opposition councilor affiliated with the ecologist group who wants to remind everyone: «Georges Tron is a rapist.»
On February 17, 2021, the man who was mayor of Draveil for over 25 years was definitively convicted on appeal of rape and sexual assault on a former municipal employee. The Paris Assize Court sentenced him to five years in prison, two of which were suspended, with a six-year ban from running for office. «Extremely hurt by the collapse of the municipality,» the 67-year-old man no longer hides his likely involvement in the 2026 municipal elections.
Georges Tron (LR) will still be ineligible at the time of the election. But eight months ago, he filed a legal challenge to shorten this period. An «logical» initiative for someone who has always believed that his conviction was «unfounded.»
A position that makes him «even more dangerous,» according to Nous toutes 91, which recalls that the former minister under François Fillon was rejected in his appeal to the Court of Cassation. «We hope his ineligibility is fully enforced, especially since he has already benefited from a sentence reduction,» continues the feminist collective, who says they are «very clear about the likelihood of him attempting to field a candidate in case of ineligibility.»
Whatever decision the judges make at the end of the year, Georges Tron leaves doubt about his intentions for the upcoming election. «There is no automaticity in my candidacy if the appeal is successful, just as there is no guarantee of my non-involvement in the campaign if the decision is the opposite,» says the former mayor of Draveil.
A potential attempt to return to power in the city that ecologist François Damerval describes as «abominable.» At the head of the local left-wing opposition collective Réveil en commun, the councilor considers the weight it would «place on the victims» and «the fear of the city’s employees who faced pressure» from the former mayor at the time.
«We are in a situation where power is given to people who are not aware of certain things. Georges Tron still hasn’t understood the principle of consent,» emphasizes Raphaël Demonchy. In 2021, he co-founded the collective Ni Draveil ni ailleurs (Nada) in response to the untenable judicial and political situation of the city at the time. «There has always been violence in the way he managed his opponents with cases of intimidation. It’s a way of behaving that is entirely consistent with the crime committed,» says Raphaël Demonchy, who supports the local left-wing opposition.
An echo heard from former supporters of Georges Tron. «He has been trying to destabilize the city for months,» confides Anne-Marie Jourdanneau-Fort (SE), who mentions «intimidating letters sent to elected officials» and reports the «fear of some female employees of seeing him return.»
Since Georges Tron’s resignation in 2021, the deputy in charge of the city and commerce has been working under the direction of the new mayor, Richard Privat (LR), the former deputy mayor to the ousted mayor. En trois ans, la majorité issue de la liste de Georges Tron a augmenté les impôts trois fois, soit une augmentation cumulée de plus de 30 %. Cette direction politique a finalement provoqué la fronde de trois élus de la majorité – Typhaine Bouby, Régis Philippe et Stéphane Guin – qui ont été privés de leurs délégations le 5 juin dernier. Cela démontre que l’ancien maire conserve encore du soutien dans la ville.
Georges Tron dénonce le fait que cette liste a fait exactement le contraire de ce pour quoi elle a été élue, affirmant n’avoir augmenté les impôts locaux que trois fois en 26 ans d’exercice. Anne-Marie Jourdanneau Fort réplique en affirmant que la ville est moins endettée sous son mandat, malgré la hausse des impôts, attribuant cela à la dilapidation des valeurs immobilières de la ville.
Selon l’adjointe déléguée à la ville et au commerce, la ville de Draveil est en situation de sous-fiscalité, ce qui complique l’obtention de crédits bancaires. Elle justifie les hausses d’impôts comme une nécessité pour réguler la situation financière, en soulignant les défis posés par des événements comme la pandémie de Covid-19.
Malgré ces critiques, la majorité actuelle prévoit de présenter un candidat aux élections municipales de 2026, convaincue que les habitants de Draveil souhaitent un changement. Anne-Marie Jourdanneau-Fort insiste sur le besoin de tourner la page et affirme que les Français en ont assez de ce type de politiciens.
Cette liste devra faire face à une opposition unie menée par François Damerval, qui reconnaît le retard de Draveil par rapport à d’autres communes. Il souhaite que la campagne électorale se concentre sur les programmes des candidats plutôt que sur le retour possible de Georges Tron.
La réputation de la commune reste entachée par l’affaire judiciaire impliquant Georges Tron, condamné pour viol et agression sexuelle en 2021. Malgré cela, l’ancien maire envisage un retour à la politique locale, suscitant l’opposition de nombreux acteurs locaux.
Georges Tron, bien que toujours inéligible au moment des élections, cherche à raccourcir sa période d’inéligibilité par le biais d’un recours en justice. Cette démarche est critiquée par des groupes comme Nous toutes 91, qui soulignent les conséquences de ses actions passées.
Le doute plane sur les intentions de Georges Tron quant à sa participation aux élections municipales à venir, mais son éventuel retour est perçu comme abominable par certains opposants. Le paysage politique de Draveil s’annonce donc agité en vue des prochaines élections. À la tête du collectif local d’opposition de gauche Réveil en commun, l’élu réfléchit à l’impact que cela aurait sur les victimes et sur la crainte ressentie par les salariés de la ville qui ont été soumis à des pressions de la part de l’ancien maire à l’époque.
«On est dans une situation où on donne le pouvoir à des gens qui ne comprennent pas certaines choses. Georges Tron n’a toujours pas saisi le principe de consentement», souligne Raphaël Demonchy. En réaction à la situation judiciaire et politique insoutenable de la ville à l’époque, il a cofondé en 2021 le collectif Ni Draveil ni ailleurs (Nada). «Il y a toujours eu de la violence dans la façon dont il gérait ses opposants avec des cas d’intimidation. C’est une approche parfaitement cohérente avec le crime commis», déclare Raphaël Demonchy, qui soutient l’opposition de gauche locale.
Cette opinion est partagée par d’anciens soutiens de Georges Tron. «Ça fait des mois qu’il tente de déstabiliser la ville», confie Anne-Marie Jourdanneau-Fort (SE), qui mentionne des lettres d’intimidation envoyées à des élus et rapporte la peur ressentie par certaines employées municipales à l’idée de le voir revenir.
Depuis la démission de Georges Tron en 2021, l’adjointe déléguée à la ville et au commerce travaille sous la direction du nouveau maire Richard Privat (LR), ancien premier adjoint de l’ancien maire. En trois ans, la majorité issue de la liste de Georges Tron a augmenté les impôts à trois reprises, soit une hausse cumulée de plus de 30 %.
Cette direction politique a provoqué la révolte de trois élus de la majorité – Typhaine Bouby, Régis Philippe et Stéphane Guin – qui se sont vu retirer leurs délégations le 5 juin dernier. Cela montre que l’ancien maire bénéficie encore de soutien dans la ville.
«Draveil est en situation de sous-fiscalité. Cela empêche l’obtention de crédit auprès des banques. La régulation était nécessaire», affirme l’adjointe déléguée à la ville et au commerce. Sa majorité présentera un candidat aux élections municipales de 2026, avec la conviction que les habitants de Draveil veulent tourner la page et en ont assez de politiciens de ce genre.
Une liste qui devra faire face à celle d’une gauche unie conduite par François Damerval, qui reconnaît le retard pris par Draveil par rapport à d’autres communes. «Nous ne voulons pas que la campagne soit centrée sur le retour de Georges Tron. Les gens veulent pouvoir discuter du programme», résume Raphaël Demonchy, qui compte parmi ses partisans.
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Camille Dupont
Je suis Camille Dupont, professionnelle junior en communication digitale. Je crée et gère du contenu pour les réseaux sociaux et les médias en ligne, en combinant copywriting, narration visuelle et montage de base. Formée en communication audiovisuelle et titulaire d’un master en contenus digitaux, je suis motivée par le storytelling et par la connexion avec les jeunes audiences à travers du contenu créatif.
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