In Hyères, Jean-Michel Eynard-Tomatis (RN) launches his municipal campaign

Dr. Jean-Michel Eynard-Tomatis says his first steps in politics date back to 2014. Seventh on the "Hyères Bleu Marine" list led by Bruno Gollnisch, he confides that he decided to run at the time to influence the management of the hospital with which he was in conflict. As president of the hospital's commission, the rheumatologist-geriatrician also disapproved of Politi's policies.

Ten years later – now retired and, at 67, an opposition municipal councillor – it is still health issues that emerge from his declaration of candidacy for the municipal election.

" There are 4,000 to 5,000 residents of Hyères who do not have a primary care physician. That's nearly 10% of the population, and among them, 500 suffer from chronic conditions," he assures. "The candidates do not talk about this problem... perhaps because they do not know enough about it or they think that nothing can be done about it ."

If he manages to take the mayor's seat in March 2026, he assures that one of his first measures will be to create a special municipal unit to deal with the issue. " We are told that a mayor can do nothing on the subject and that it is only the ARS (Regional Health Agency, Editor's note) that makes the decisions, but the municipality must be involved. A mayor must give himself the means to exert pressure ."

This speech, far from the core target of the National Rally's electoral base, allowed him to secure the nomination of Marine Le Pen's movement (chaired by Jordan Bardella) in July. A logical decision for the man who is a substitute for Stéphane Rambaud, the RN MP for the constituency, but who defied the predictions.

Two lists to the right of the right?

At the beginning of the summer, everything indicated that Hyères would illustrate the rapprochement between the Ciottists and the Le Penists. The entire right wing of the right was announced to be aligned behind the candidacy of UDR François Cornileau.

" We were both interviewed by the RN's investiture committee, but François Cornileau did not wait for the decision. His premature declaration of candidacy caused confusion," smiles Jean-Michel Eynard-Tomatis, who senses that " discussions will inevitably take place ."

It's not easy to imagine the two movements, which are associated at the national level, openly tripping each other up under the palm trees. " I'm ready to study everything, but the election of the deputy clearly showed that a good majority of Hyères residents vote RN," adds the candidate, with a view to maintaining the advantage.

To attract the far-right electorate to his name, he therefore unfolds the themes that have made him successful. " Security is number 1. Currently, it is above all the feeling of insecurity that dominates in certain neighborhoods. "

While he acknowledges that " things have been done" and that " they must be respected," the candidate promises to "increase resources."

There's also a change of gear regarding social housing. " In Val-des-Rougières, there are 160 vacant homes. We need to knock down a tower block and build detached houses or a public service building in its place. We also need to put up a barrier with a digital code at the entrance to prevent people who aren't local from entering to do their trafficking."

Finally, Jean-Michel Eynard-Tomatis proposes to better distribute the subsidies granted to associations across the territory to stop disadvantaged neighborhoods that are not priorities.

The RN mayor of Hyères, he would, however, continue to finance the Villa Noailles "even if it means alienating some voters, because it makes the city shine. We are often criticized for our lack of culture... but we must stop looking down on ourselves and change people's perception of the National Rally. I simply want to be pragmatic. This is no longer the era of the National Front in Toulon in 1995. Since I joined in 2018, I have met people at the RN who are not necessarily sectarian, uneducated and fascist."