Reims's outgoing mayor, Arnaud Robinet of Horizons, has announced his bid for a third term in the municipal elections, facing opposition from both the right and the left. The criticisms largely stem from the 2024 demolition of the Charles-de-Gaulle bridge as part of an urban redevelopment project.
Arnaud Robinet, who left Les Républicains in 2021 to join Horizons, is navigating a tense atmosphere ahead of the municipal elections. In his fifties, he faces backlash for demolishing the Charles-de-Gaulle bridge in the city center. This structure, one of three linking southern working-class neighborhoods to the center, was removed in 2024 despite local protests.
The initiative forms part of a broader redevelopment of the canal banks, which, alongside the highway, bisect the city. Robinet described the bridge as « an eyesore leading to a dead end » to justify its removal. The work includes a revised traffic and parking scheme that has unsettled drivers.
Key alterations involve the 2.5-kilometer Voie des Sacres route, connecting the train station to the Saint-Remi Basilica via the cathedral. It now prioritizes public transport with new electric buses, as well as space for pedestrians and cyclists. Although the project was familiar to Reims residents, its execution has highlighted significant disruptions.