Paris peut-elle encore être sauvée ? Sarah Knafo sans filtre [EN DIRECT]

In this interview, Sarah Knafo—a Member of the European Parliament, former magistrate at the Court of Auditors, and candidate for Mayor of Paris—outlines a comprehensive critique of the current administration of the French capital and proposes a radical shift in its economic and social governance. Basing her arguments on her background in public finance, Knafo addresses the city's 10-billion-euro debt, the housing crisis, and rising insecurity, advocating for a "return to the eternal Paris" through fiscal responsibility and direct democracy. **The Financial Crisis and the "Social Housing Ponzi Scheme"** Knafo describes the financial state of Paris as a "bourbier" (quagmire). Despite being one of the world’s wealthiest cities with skyrocketing property taxes, Paris has accumulated 10 billion euros in debt. She reveals a controversial accounting mechanism used by the socialist administration: "capitalized rents." By using emphyteutic (long-term) leases, the city collects decades of social housing rent in advance. While these should be investment receipts, Knafo claims a decree signed by former President François Hollande allowed Mayor Anne Hidalgo to inject this money into the operating budget to cover chronic deficits. She characterizes this as a "real estate Ponzi scheme" that leaves future generations with the debt but none of the associated rental income. **Housing Reform: Ending Rent Control and Selling Social Housing** To address the housing crisis, Knafo proposes a total moratorium on new social housing, which currently stands at 25% of the city’s stock. She argues that the push toward 40% is a financial necessity for the current administration to keep the "Ponzi scheme" alive rather than a pursuit of social justice. Her solution is to sell 10% of the social housing park to its current occupants—roughly 4,000 units per year. This would promote property ownership, foster a sense of responsibility among residents, and generate 8 billion euros over a decade to halve the city's debt. Furthermore, Knafo calls for the immediate abolition of rent control (*encadrement des loyers*). Citing the example of Minneapolis, she argues that rent control invariably leads to housing shortages and property abandonment. Since its implementation in Paris in 2019, she claims the city has lost 50,000 rental units. By deregulating the market, she expects a "supply shock" that will eventually lower prices and allow the middle class to return to the city. **A 10-Billion-Euro Savings Plan** Knafo’s economic platform centers on the principle that "public money is the citizens' money." She proposes a 10-billion-euro savings plan over ten years to fund drastic tax cuts. This includes: 1. **Staff Reduction:** Reducing the city’s 55,000 employees by half over ten years through natural attrition (not replacing retirees), except in the police and childcare sectors. 2. **Subsidy Cuts:** Eliminating 100 million euros annually in subsidies to "politicized" associations. She cites "absurd" examples from city records, such as 1.2 million euros for a mime troupe to quiet night noise and 2,500 euros for "guinea pig cuddling" classes. 3. **Real Estate Strategy:** Ending the city’s practice of preempting private buildings to convert them into social housing, saving 500 million euros per year. These savings would allow her to halve property taxes and waste collection fees, as well as restore free parking for two-wheelers and provide the first hour of car parking for free to support local commerce. **Security, Immigration, and the "Olympic Lesson"** On security, Knafo points to the 2024 Olympics as proof that Paris can be safe with a massive police presence. She proposes doubling the municipal police force to 8,000 officers and, crucially, arming them—a move the current administration has refused. She criticizes the philosophy of treating police as "meter maids" and insists their role must be to fight delinquency and dismantle "zones of lawlessness" like those plagued by drug trafficking and illegal vending. Regarding immigration, she argues that the current "laxity" creates a "suction effect" (*appel d'air*), where migrants are lured by false promises only to end up in squalid camps. She advocates for "closing the tap" rather than just managing the consequences of illegal arrivals, stating that true humanism lies in stopping the trafficking of human misery. **Social Trust and Childcare** A significant portion of the interview focuses on a scandal in Parisian after-school programs, where dozens of staff members were suspended for suspected sexual abuse. Knafo denounces a "wall of silence" within the city hall and proposes a "precautionary principle": immediate suspension upon any suspicion and mandatory, regular checks against sex offender registries. To rebuild trust, she suggests involving volunteer grandparents in childcare, creating a "reservoir of benevolence" and intergenerational transmission. **Conclusion: A Vision of Direct Democracy** Knafo concludes by calling for a "revolution through the ballot box." She expresses a deep distrust of the current political class, which she views as obsessed with power rather than results. Her governance model for Paris is inspired by Switzerland, featuring at least two referendums per year on major issues and mandatory public consultation for any project exceeding 100 million euros. By returning decision-making power to the people and focusing on "eternal Parisian values," Knafo aims to transform Paris from a "museum for the elite" back into a "happy, living city" for all its residents.