After house set on fire, French mayor resigns amid local battle over hosting asylum-seekers

By ELAINE GANLEY
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — The mayor of a small French town whose home was set afire amid a bitter battle over bringing in migrants is resigning from his job The mayor of Saint Brevin-les-Pins said in a letter made public late Wednesday that he was stepping down because of the March 22 fire and a “lack of support from the state.” Mayor Yannick Morez told radio network France Bleu, “Neither my wife, nor my three children want me to continue.” He says his family could have died in the fire that destroyed two cars outside their home. The incident followed months of acrimony over a plan to set up a center for asylum-seekers in Saint Brevin.