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Paris Mayor Takes a Dip in the Seine to Celebrate Olympic Swimming Events
Under a blue sky, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a dip in the Seine River this week, accompanied by hundreds of onlookers who had worked on the years-long project to clean up the river for Olympic swimming events. The stunt made worldwide headlines, boosting the international profile of the 65-year-old green crusader who has been mayor since 2014.
The Stunt and the Backlash
Before Hidalgo’s long-promised swim, a social media campaign spread under the hashtag #jechiedanslaseine ("I poop in the Seine") with people pledging to defecate to express their dislike for the mayor and her politics. The campaign displayed the often immoderate hatred that the Socialist mayor inspires among some Parisians, who rail against her drastic reduction of car traffic and imposition of rent controls.
Hidalgo’s Response
Hidalgo has laughed off the poop campaign and beamed after executing a confident crawl in the Seine. The French government has spent around €1.4bn to upgrade infrastructure to hold the triathlon and marathon swimming Olympics events in the river.
The Olympics and the City’s Future
The spotlight will now be on Hidalgo and Paris as it hosts an ambitious yet risky version of the Olympics. One risk will be the extravagant opening ceremony with athletes on an armada of boats, which a security expert called a "criminal folly" since it would be impossible to police. The French capital is also seeking to hold a more sustainable, affordable Olympics – in order to slash greenhouse gas emissions, only two arenas have been built. Most events will be held at temporary venues at historic monuments in the city centre, causing major disruption for residents.
Hidalgo’s Twin Missions
Hidalgo’s twin missions as mayor have been to give Paris a radical green makeover and keep the city accessible to middle and lower-income people by investing billions in social housing, often through buying properties and converting them. Her dedication to the green cause has made her famous abroad, where she is more respected at appearances at the UN and COP climate conferences than at home, where she is criticized for poor city management and degraded public finances.
Hidalgo’s Background
Born near Cadiz, Spain to an electrician father and a seamstress mother, Hidalgo moved to Lyon as a child and became a French citizen as a teenager. Her first job was as a labour inspector for the government. A convinced social democrat, she went into politics in the mid-1990s as an adviser to various ministers at a national level. In 2001, she was elected on a Socialist list to the Paris city council in the 15th arrondissement on the left bank, where she still lives.
Challenges and Criticisms
Attitudes towards her hardened among some Parisians in 2016 when she got rid of a highway running along the Seine and turned the quays into a leafy pedestrian zone now enjoyed by cyclists and people out for runs or strolls. "She’s had very extreme policies against car drivers, and by extension, against people living in the banlieues," said Pierre Chasseray of the pro-car lobbying group 40 millions d’automobilistes (40mn drivers).
Conclusion
As Paris prepares to host the Olympics, Hidalgo remains defiant, stating that the Games have been an accelerator that directed all her energies towards an objective. Whether Parisians like it or not, the city is undergoing a radical transformation, and Hidalgo is at the forefront of this change.
FAQs
Q: What is the hashtag #jechiedanslaseine?
A: #jechiedanslaseine is a social media campaign that spread before Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s swim in the Seine River, with people pledging to defecate to express their dislike for the mayor and her politics.
Q: What is the goal of the Olympics in Paris?
A: The goal of the Olympics in Paris is to hold a more sustainable, affordable, and environmentally friendly event, with a focus on slashing greenhouse gas emissions and making the city more accessible to middle and lower-income people.
Q: What are some of the challenges facing Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo?
A: Some of the challenges facing Hidalgo include criticism for poor city management and degraded public finances, as well as opposition to her drastic reduction of car traffic and imposition of rent controls.
Q: What is Hidalgo’s background?
A: Hidalgo was born near Cadiz, Spain to an electrician father and a seamstress mother, and moved to Lyon as a child. She became a French citizen as a teenager and went into politics in the mid-1990s as an adviser to various ministers at a national level.
Author: www.ft.com
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