At 67, Serge Blanco, a French rugby icon, announces his bid for mayor of Biarritz, his adopted hometown, to rebuild trust between residents and city hall. A former player and leader of Biarritz Olympique, he points to the city's divisions over the past decade. His known backers lean center-right, though he declares no formal affiliation.
Serge Blanco, a rugby legend with 93 caps for France, disclosed his mayoral bid on December 4 through an AFP release. Born in Caracas in 1958 and moving to Biarritz as a child after his father's death, he underscores his bond to this 25,000-resident town, long a right-wing stronghold. 'Over the past decade, I've seen Biarritz fracture. The trust pact between Biarrots and their city hall has broken,' he writes, framing his move as that of 'a child of Biarritz' rather than a whim.
His political step follows a mid-September protest against residential development on the Aguilera site, home to Biarritz Olympique stadium. The issue pits outgoing LR mayor Maider Arosteguy against former club president Jean-Baptiste Aldigé, who threatened relocation amid disputes over stadium upgrades. The five-time French champion club has languished in ProD2 since 2022 amid financial woes. Leading the local amateur rugby association, Blanco urges halting 'improvisation' and prioritizes three areas: rigorous financial management, ecological transition, and proximity democracy.
Nicknamed 'the Pelé of rugby' for his 38 international tries – a record recently eclipsed by Damian Penaud –, Blanco shone with Grand Slams in 1981 and 1987, plus the 1987 World Cup final. Post-playing, he consulted and led (first Ligue nationale de rugby president from 1998 to 2008), but business forays in hotels and thalassotherapy failed, with his holding liquidated in January 2020. Three months after Jean-Michel Aulas's Lyon run, he deems it 'high time to restore Biarritz's deserved momentum.' Mayor Arosteguy welcomes his 'commitment' briefly.