Christian Estrosi, at a press conference in Nice, on March 12, 2026. VALERY HACHE/AFP
The municipal election duel in Nice, between incumbent mayor Christian Estrosi (Horizons, center-right) and Eric Ciotti, an ally of the far-right Rassemblement National, was always expected to be ruthless, as the pair are long-standing rivals. Yet, ahead of the first round of voting, the latest scandal in Nice, involving a severed pig's head, a former counter-espionage agent and suspicions of infiltration, has brought the controversy in a campaign marred by dirty tricks and conspiracy allegations to new heights.
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For several months now, political news in Nice has been dominated by the fierce duel: defections, disparaging videos, vicious tweets and televised debates that have descended into "cockfights," to cite an oft-repeated expression on television. The two candidates' policy proposals, meanwhile, have faded into the background.
