Olivier Grima emerged victorious on Thursday, winning the election for the presidency of the Agen area. He outpaced Laurent Bruneau, the new mayor of Agen. The vote was close.
The electrionic vote by device declared Olivier Grima as the winner with 43 votes (50.6%). He surpassed Laurent Bruneau who gathered 37 votes (43.5%). Michaël Fargues received 4 votes (4.7%). There was one abstention.
There were 85 community councillors casting their votes, with 24 for Agen, 6 for Le Passage, 4 for Boé, Bon-Encontre, Foulayronnes, 3 for Pont-du-Casse, 2 for Colayrac and Layrac, and 1 for all other municipalities. Calculations were made earlier and negotiations multiplied, sometimes last minute.
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Anne-Marie Jean-Meillier, the eldest, opened the installation session precisely at 6:06 pm. She reminisced about being among the youngest elected officials of the Agen district assembly a few decades ago. “Our Agglo has become an obvious force, a community of destiny.” She continued, “It is not a political trophy, but a sacred link among the residents.” She urged not to turn it into a “political wasteland, otherwise history will judge us severely.” And concluded, “In the name of what we have built, may wisdom guide your hand at the time of the vote.”
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“You are free to vote according to your convictions”
After a draw, Olivier Grima was the first to speak. “The moment extends beyond just electing an Agglo president,” stated the former mayor of Castelculier, even though some implied that the mayor of Agen should naturally lead the agglomeration.” He emphasized a fundamental point: “You are free to vote according to your convictions.” He highlighted his experience and strategic choices (defense of the LGV and the new station in Brax, mobilization for the EPR II in Golfech, etc.). He addressed a topic that, according to him, was “exploited” during the campaign of this third round: the mutualization of services. “They lied by talking about a merger, they are two separate entities.”
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Michaël Fargues, opposition councilor in Agen and associate of Sébastien Delbosq (RN), was briefer. “My candidacy probably surprised some people,” he stated before explaining, “The goal is not to make a political move, but to shed light on subjects. The Agglo should not be a political stronghold.” He emphasized, “We cannot afford division.”
“Two executives and one administration, that doesn’t last a second”
Laurent Bruneau called for unity within the Agglo. He presented himself as a unifier, as the man of stability. He envisioned a “protective, concrete, useful Agglo, without political spirit, without label, with one compass: the interest of the territory.” He warned against the risk of fracturing everything.
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He referred to a note from the Centre for Territorial Civil Service Management that he had sent to the officials the day before. It indicated that defusion would be inevitable if the mayor and the Agglo president were different individuals due to the deep administrative and financial entanglement. “Two executives and one administration, that doesn’t last a second.” He cited a report from the Regional Chamber of Accounts dated January 16, 2025, addressing the risks of mutualization. The process would be “complex, lengthy, destabilizing, and costly.” It could be on the agenda for the next municipal council meeting in Agen.
Meanwhile, Mayor of Agen, Laurent Bruneau, was elected as the 4th Vice President of the Agglo responsible for the social and political cohesion of the city. Gilles Fremy, Mayor of Le Passage, was elected as the 1st Vice President, Jean-Marc Gilly, Mayor of Estillac, as the 2nd Vice President, and Cécile Genovesio, Mayor of Saint-Caprais-de-Lerm, as the 3rd Vice President.
