Landslide win for Stéphane Valeri and Primo in Monaco’s elections

Elections for Monaco’s National Council, which took place yesterday, resulted in a landslide win for Stéphane Valeri’s “Primo” group, otherwise known as Priority Monaco.

It was clear within a few hours of the polls closing at 7 pm on Sunday, February 11, that Primo had won by a wide margin. Overnight it was announced that two candidates had been elected for Horizon Monaco and one for the Union Monegasque, giving Primo 21 of the 24 seats in the parliamentary assembly.

Turnout was down from 74.4 percent in 2013 to 70.35 percent.

Half an hour before midnight Stéphane Valeri, the former Minister of Health and Social Affairs, told his supporters they had won a very big victory.

The new leader of the National Council, who served for several years as its president some years ago, added: “I want to warmly thank the Monegasques who have given us a very big victory tonight. Their confidence gives us the legitimacy necessary to give the National Council its full place among [Monaco’s] institutions.”

“Now that the electoral period is over, I appeal to compatriots of all sensibilities, so that tomorrow the great Monegasque family, united behind our Sovereign Prince, will come together.”

Among the personalities elected on the Primo list are Jose Badia, former foreign minister, and Guillaume Rose, formerly head of the Tourism and Conventions office.

See full results here.


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Security terminals to be installed at Place d’Armes

Photo: Monaco Life
Photo: Monaco Life

As part of an operation to secure certain sites in the Principality, terminals will soon be set up roadside around the perimeter of the Place d’Armes.

Retractable bollards will allow access to Place du Marché by emergency and authorised vehicles.

The work will last six months starting from February 12, and will be carried out in successive phases, without any disruption to traffic.

Photo: Facebook Gouvernement Monaco Photo: Facebook Gouvernement Monaco


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Ocean conservation awareness for 300 students in Monaco

Screening of The Prince and the Sea - Explorations de Monaco. Photo: F. Ramin/Musée océanographique de Monaco
Screening of The Prince and the Sea – Explorations de Monaco. Photo: F. Ramin/Musée océanographique de Monaco

Monday afternoon at the Oceanographic Museum, and as part of Explorations Monaco, a screening of the documentary film “The Prince and the Sea” was held in the presence of 300 Monaco students from Albert I, François d’Assises Nicolas Barré (FANB), Charles III College and the International School of Monaco.

The pedagogical afternoon allowed young students to discover the scientific and humanistic objectives pursued by the Monaco Explorations, and to show that today, more than ever, it is important to raise awareness of the fragility of marine ecosystems and the importance of their role for the future of humanity.

Screening of The Prince and the Sea - Explorations de Monaco. Q&A with Robert Calcagno. Photo: F. Ramin/Musée océanographique de Monaco
Screening of The Prince and the Sea – Explorations de Monaco. Q&A with Robert Calcagno. Photo: F. Ramin/Musée océanographique de Monaco

The subject was then debated during a lively and interesting exchange between students, Robert Calcagno, Director of the Oceanographic Institute and Campaign Manager 2017/2020, and Pierre Gilles, Chief of Mission in Macaronesia.

To continue the experience and immersion in the marine world, the students were warmly invited to attend the 2nd edition of the Monaco Ocean Week (April 8-14), including the workshop “Conservation seal monk” – one of the most endangered species in the world for which the Prince Albert II Foundation is particularly committed – which will take place on Thursday, April 12 at the Oceanographic Museum. Students will be able to discover the results and the conclusions of this meeting of experts, following the one that took place aboard the Yersin in Madeira last September.

Screening of The Prince and the Sea - Explorations de Monaco. Q&A with Robert Calcagno. Photo: F. Ramin/Musée océanographique de Monaco
Screening of The Prince and the Sea – Explorations de Monaco. Q&A with Robert Calcagno. Photo: F. Ramin/Musée océanographique de Monaco

After the educational program launched in primary schools in September, this first meeting with high school students marked the kick-off of a rich and intense educational program, which will last until the end of September.

Until the end of February, the public can also visit the photo exhibit “Mission Macaronesia” with 22 images in “XXL” format in the museum’s Conference Room.


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Monaco youth test drive electric vehicles

Photo: Charly Gallo/DC
Photo: Charly Gallo/DC

The “Jeun’Elec” program of the Electric Vehicles Club of Monaco held a session on Friday with volunteer students from Charles III and François d’Assise Nicolas Barré.

The event on February 8 took place at the Parking des Pêcheurs with a presentation of all modes of electric transport – scooters, electric bikes, cars and karts. A road safety workshop, led by the Department of Public Safety, was offered to the 4th graders likely to drive a two-wheeler.

Beyond the simple test of electric vehicles, the objective of the day was to make students aware of the need to respect the environment by limiting pollution related to urban transport and to promote the notion of inter-modality.

In preparation for the day, all students in the 4th grade benefited from a pedagogical session around these themes.

At the end of this awareness-raising process, the students were invited to participate in a competition on the theme of electric mobility. The awards ceremony for this contest will take place during the EVER Forum, on Wednesday, April 11, in the presence of Prince Albert.


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Princess Grace Academy student wins top prize in Lausanne

Shale Wagman at 46th Prix de Lausanne in February 2018.
Shale Wagman at 46th Prix de Lausanne in February 2018.

Shale Wagman, who has been studying at the Princess Grace Dance Academy in Monaco over the last four years, won first place in the 46th Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland on February 3. He is the first Canadian to ever win gold.

Not only did Shale, who is just shy of 18, take first place but he was also awarded the Artistry Prize from the Rudolph Nureyev Foundation, a tremendous honour and international recognition.

Finalists at 46th Prix de Lausanne.
Finalists at 46th Prix de Lausanne.

The 5-day competition was steamed live on various social media as 74 candidates representing 10 nations were judged on their classes, performances, technique and artistry. Twenty-one finalists were then selected by a jury of 9 internationally renowned dance professionals, presided over by Ted Brandsen, Artistic Director of the HET National Ballet. The panel finally selected the eight most promising talents.

Shale Wagman at 46th Prix de Lausanne in February 2018.
Shale Wagman at 46th Prix de Lausanne in February 2018.

Shale Wagman has been dancing since he was six, when he started training up to 30 hours a week with Vlad Novitski in Toronto. At age 11, he was he was a finalist and “Judges’ Favourite” on Canada’s Got Talent, when Martin Short compared him to the “likes of Nijinsky or Nureyev” and referred to him as a “National Treasure”.

Two years later, he began to train with Tatiana Stepanova and turned his focus to ballet. He then won the Youth American Grand Prix in Denver, Colorado, before performing at the Lincoln Centre in New York where he was brought into the international ballet scene and offered several scholarships to train at some of the best ballet schools in the world.

In June 2018, Shale will graduate from the Princess Grace Dance Academy. After receiving several offers to dance with some of the most prestigious ballet companies, the young Canadian has decided to join the English National Ballet in the UK for the 2018/19 season.

Photos courtesy of Heather Wagman. Article first published February 12, 2018.


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