Nice – 16.06.2026: The mayor of Nice, Éric Ciotti, has demanded the immediate resignation of Minister of Transport Philippe Tabarot in a letter to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. The cause is an incident on June 14, 2026, during the “Bharat Innovates” fair in Nice, where President Emmanuel Macron and the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also invited.
Ciotti accuses Tabarot of publicly calling him a “dwarf” (a derogatory term for a person with dwarfism) and then whispering in his ear: “I will make you disappear. I will make you disappear by sending Georgians to you.” Ciotti considers this behavior a serious threat and has filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Nice.
In his letter to Prime Minister Lecornu, Ciotti calls the minister’s behavior “extremely serious” and demands immediate resignation. The mayor emphasizes that the events took place without any provocation on his part and in the presence of several witnesses.
In contrast, Tabarot’s close associates reject the accusations. According to them, the minister only responded to repeated provocations by Ciotti. The two politicians have known each other for about 30 years. According to Tabarot, Ciotti had even threatened him by saying that he wanted to “remove him from the Senate” and even “from the government.” These allegations fit within a series of public and private conflicts between the two politicians in recent weeks.
The escalation highlights the growing tensions within the right-wing political landscape in the Alpes-Maritimes. Ciotti left the conservative party Les Républicains in 2024 and positioned himself close to the Rassemblement National. Tabarot had previously accused Ciotti of endangering the Olympic speed skating event of the 2030 Games in Nice, which further worsened the atmosphere.
The confrontation between Ciotti and Tabarot casts light on internal power struggles within the French right wing and also threatens to influence the upcoming Senate elections. The political landscape in the Alpes-Maritimes is in the midst of a phase of reorganization, in which personal conflicts increasingly determine political debate.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Nice confirmed receipt of the complaint and is currently investigating whether a criminal investigation will be initiated. So far, no further legal steps are known. At the same time, public expectations are growing about how the government will react to the accusations that could damage the reputation of the political class.
In the political debate surrounding the incident, the role of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is also being closely monitored, whose reaction is seen as a signal for handling internal conflicts and power struggles within the government. The coming period will show how this crisis within the right-wing party landscape in Southeast France will be resolved.
Sources
- Franceinfo