A funeral was held at the cathedral of La Major in Marseille on May 23rd, to honor the former mayor and prominent figure of the French right, Jean-Claude Gaudin. The service gathered 1,500 people, including Brigitte Macron, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Prince Albert II of Monaco. Speakers at the ceremony highlighted Gaudin’s humble origins and described him as a formidable debater and one of the last great dinosaurs of politics. They praised his dedication to Marseille and lauded his rise in politics through hard work rather than connections.
Jean-Claude Gaudin, who passed away at the age of 84 from a cardiac arrest, was remembered as a man who had no other family but Marseille and no life outside of politics. The archbishop of Marseille, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, acknowledged Gaudin’s imperfections but emphasized his genuine love for the city and its inhabitants. Brigitte Macron affirmed that Gaudin had Marseille in his heart until the end and mentioned that Emmanuel Macron would have attended the funeral if he hadn’t needed to be in Nouméa, New Caledonia, due to ongoing violence.
The funeral procession began in Gaudin’s hometown of Mazargues in Marseille before making stops at city hall and the cathedral. Politicians, athletes, and other notable figures paid their respects, with Eric Ciotti of the Republicans noting that Gaudin had left a lasting impact on his political family. The smaller crowd that gathered outside the church applauded as the casket was brought out, and later at the cemetery of Mazargues, where dozens of wreaths were laid on his grave. Gaudin’s legacy included his tenure as mayor of Marseille, though critics pointed to issues such as neglect in disadvantaged neighborhoods and the tragic collapse of buildings in 2018.
Gaudin’s final term as mayor was overshadowed by the collapse of buildings in the Rue d’Aubagne, which resulted in the deaths of eight people. The incident shed light on the issue of substandard housing in Marseille, where many live in squalor. Following the tragedy, Gaudin faced criticism for the city’s handling of warnings and the state of public infrastructure. His political allies were divided, and a left-ecologist-civil society coalition ultimately won the mayoral elections. Despite the challenges and controversies, Jean-Claude Gaudin was remembered for his love for Marseille and his dedication to public service.
