David Lisnard
French politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
David Lisnard (born 2 February 1969)[1] is a French politician of The Republicans (LR). He was elected mayor of Cannes in 2014.
Canton of Cannes-2 (2015–present)
David Lisnard | |
|---|---|
Lisnard in 2013 | |
| Mayor of Cannes | |
| Assumed office 5 April 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Bernard Brochand |
| President of the Communauté d'agglomération Cannes Pays de Lérins | |
| Assumed office 20 July 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Bernard Brochand |
| Departmental Councillor of Alpes-Maritimes | |
| Assumed office 16 March 2008 | |
| Constituency | Canton of Cannes-Est (2008–2015) Canton of Cannes-2 (2015–present) |
| Member of the Cannes City Council | |
| Assumed office 18 March 2001 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 February 1969 Limoges, France |
| Party | LR (2015–present) SL (2017–present) NÉ (2021–present) |
| Other political affiliations | RPR (1996–2002) UMP (2002–2015) |
| Spouse |
Jacqueline Pozzi (m. 2016) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Institut d'études politiques de Bordeaux |
| Occupation | Businessman • Politician |
Early life and education
Lisnard was born in Limoges in Haute-Vienne. His father Denis Lisnard (1944–2024) was a professional footballer born in Cannes, who had started his career at AS Cannes and was playing at Limoges FC at the time of his birth. The Lisnard family had been fishers in Cannes since the 15th century; his great-grandfather Léon Lisnard had a construction company that built Cannes's Forville market in 1934, and his grandfather Raymond Lisnard owned a hotel. Through his mother, he has origins from Bordeaux and Corsica, and developed his Catholic faith.[1][2]
Lisnard studied at the Institut d'études politiques de Bordeaux and the Paris-Panthéon-Assas University, graduating with a master's degree in public law.[1]
Political career
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Lisnard became interested in politics in 1978, when he watched a debate between François Mitterrand and Raymond Barre and began imitating the pair. He campaigned for Jacques Chirac in the 1995 French presidential election, but did not join Chirac's Rally for the Republic until the following year.[1]
After graduating, Lisnard became chief of staff to Jacques Pélissard, mayor of Lons-le-Saunier. He returned to Cannes in 1999 and was displeased by mayor Michel Mouillot. His father introduced him to opposition candidate Bernard Brochand, and he worked on his successful mayoral campaign in 2001, becoming his deputy mayor and heir.[1]
Mayor of Cannes, 2014–present
Lisnard ran for mayor of Cannes in the 2014 French municipal elections. He was endorsed by the former President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, who had visited Cannes for a concert by his wife Carla Bruni.[3] In the first round, he took 48.8% of the vote, narrowly missing out on the majority to win outright; the second-place candidate Philippe Tabarot was also from the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).[4] In the second round, he took 59% of the vote and was elected.[5]
In July 2016, Lisnard was one of several French mayors to ban the burkini. He said that the "ostentatious" religiosity of the swimwear was likely to disrupt public order due to recent terrorist attacks in France.[6] The following month, France's highest court, the Conseil d'État, suspended the burkini bans. The court said that personal freedom could not be restricted unless the risks to public safety were proven.[7] In June 2018, Cannes City Council was ordered by a court to reimburse the €11 fine given to a burkini wearer in August 2016.[8]
In the 2020 French municipal elections, Lisnard was re-elected with 88.1% of the votes in the first round.[9] The result gave his party all 49 seats on the city council.[10]
In June 2021, Lisnard launched on a national scale his party New Energy, which he had set up upon becoming mayor in 2014.[11] That November, he was elected president of the Association des maires de France with 62.34% of the votes.[12]
In the Republicans' 2025 leadership election, Lisnard endorsed Bruno Retailleau to succeed Éric Ciotti as the party's new chair.[13]
Recognition
Lisnard was made a knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in December 2020.[14]
Personal life
As of 2014, Lisnard had two daughters and a son. They were born to two mothers, and he was separated from both of them.[1]