Strasbourg opposition walks out of municipal council meeting

Opposition members walked out of a Strasbourg municipal council meeting following a lengthy debate regarding the city's financial audit and proposed changes to the council's internal regulations.

The dispute centered on a new set of rules intended to govern the council for the next six years. Opposition groups, including Les Républicains led by Jean-Philippe Vetter, argued that the new regulations significantly reduce their influence by limiting speaking times and eliminating municipal resolutions, which previously allowed groups to submit concrete proposals for direct votes.

During the session, opposition members requested a suspension to review the text, which had been distributed only 20 minutes before the meeting began. While some members sought to negotiate amendments to restore certain rights, such as increased time for oral questions and the ability to file annual resolutions, the tension over the city's budgetary trajectory and procedural rights led to the walkout.