In Biarritz, stormy city council and rumors surrounding Blanco

On September 15, councilor Maider Arosteguy (LR) declared the hearing behind closed doors while dozens of people, including the legendary French XV full-back, protested against a real estate project around the stadium of Biarritz Olympique (BO) - his former club.

In a statement on Friday, the elected official explained that the prefecture, which she had contacted to verify the legality of the meeting "despite the chaos generated by opponents", "advised" her to withdraw the deliberations taken that day.

According to her, the state services noted that the presence of the press and the live broadcast of the council contravened the closed session; questioned by the AFP, the prefecture pointed out the absence of a vote on this measure.

A new municipal council meeting will be held on October 24. Opposition councilor Jean-Baptiste Dussaussois Larralde, who also contacted the prefecture, hailed "a victory for respect for democratic rules."

The development of the Aguilera Plateau, where the BO infrastructure is located, has been under consideration for nearly 15 years. It is the last public land available in this municipality, where locals are struggling to find housing due to the explosion in real estate prices and the number of second homes.

The plan includes 250 housing units, including 150 for rental or social housing, a rugby training center, a residence for students or seasonal workers and another for vulnerable seniors.

At a previous municipal council meeting in July, the opposition had criticized the allocation of the 250-unit housing lot to a local developer, whose financial offer was the lowest.

Serge Blanco, who played his entire career at BO before becoming its president (from 1995 to 1998 and from 2008 to 2015), is close to the club's former management, which was carrying out another development project.

His presence on September 15 fueled rumors of a municipal candidacy - recurring in every election, but never materializing.

Mr. Dussaussois Larralde, who recently called on him to join his candidacy, and another opposition politician confirmed to AFP that they had "talked" with the 93-times-capped player. But both remain cautious about his possible involvement in the campaign.