French mayors are expressing skepticism toward General Fabien Mandon's call to prepare citizens for war, including accepting the potential loss of their children. While acknowledging current geopolitical risks, many elected officials hesitate to broach this sensitive topic with their constituents. They opt instead to strengthen ties between the military and the public through alternative approaches.
Ahead of the 2026 municipal elections, the call issued by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, General Fabien Mandon, at the mayors' congress on November 18, has elicited mixed reactions from local elected officials. The general urged mayors to sensitize the French to the prospect of potential conflict, inviting them to "accept losing their children." This phrasing has convinced few territorial leaders.
Gérard Poujade, a diverse left mayor of Le Séquestre in the Tarn department, exemplifies this reluctance. He envisions his constituents' response: "You're crazy. Sit down, we'll have an aperitif. It'll pass." The official is annoyed by this top-down mobilization from Paris, believing that "they expect us to do the dirty work." He emphasizes that refusing war in peacetime is a healthy stance and doubts he can persuade parents unwilling to expose their children to risk.
Despite these reservations, mayors do not deny the rising international threats. They are implementing other initiatives to sustain military-public ties, thereby avoiding an overly alarmist discourse that could alienate their rural or urban communities.
