He began his career very modestly at the Department as a messenger, responsible for delivering mail and escorting visitors. However, his undeniable political acumen as well as his total lack of scruples or convictions allowed him to climb the ladder.
Denis Rossi was a pillar of the Guerini system. Today, he is a bollard of the failing Vassal system. But still rewarded for his loyalty in treachery.
The person concerned has been a Departmental Councillor since 1998, a record! He was Vice-President of the General Council under Guérini from 2004 to 2011. Today, he is an 8th Vice-President of the Departmental Council, whose responsibilities continue to grow.
Food policy
There is one issue, however, when you are a professional politician: elections can be troublesome. And they were for Denis Rossi last March. He was defeated in his sector in the 13th/14th arrondissement as well as on Martine Vassal's central list, which gathered 5.3% of the votes in the secondth Tour La 14th Holding the seat was theoretically synonymous with guaranteed reelection. But the voters decided otherwise.
Consequently, the repeat-offender elected official found himself deprived of substantial allowances: first that of municipal councillor, but also and above all that of metropolitan councillor, delegate for urban policy and the New National Urban Renewal Programme (NPNRU), under the Vassal presidency.
Martine Vassal is not tight-fisted with her former repentant enemies whose political allegiance she knows is unwavering since it is driven by self-interest.
This is how Denis Rossi was assigned, by a decree issued on 10 April, responsibility for urban policy and the NPNRU [National Programme for Urban Renewal]. And that is not all!
On Tuesday 14 April, the person concerned was also appointed to sit on the board of directors of social landlord 13 Habitat. He replaces Sabine Bernasconi there, who is also a departmental vice-president. Should this be seen as the reason for the latter's highly conspicuous absence from the budget debate on the same day?
A senior technician missing in action
In »real life», Denis Rossi is or was a local government official – principal technician 1st class – team leader at the Paul Langevin secondary school in Martigues. Minor issue: he has been on sick leave since 3 October 2022 and has even been replaced. Whilst carrying out his elected duties in three local authorities at once and now «only» two. Nothing illegal a priori[i], especially since the person concerned has not received a salary for this job since the end of 2021, according to his declaration to the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP).
Generous grants from the Department to PACQUAM
At the same time, it is not illegal either: the wife of Denis Rossi, who is Director of the PACQUAM association (Promotion d’Associations Collège-Quartier in Marseille) in charge of academic support, has been granted substantial subsidies by the Department. The very same Department where her husband (who takes the precaution of stepping aside during the vote) is Vice-President. Thus, €100,000 was allocated to this association in 2024, and €85,000 in 2025. Simply going back to 2021, PACQUAM has benefited from €515,000 in subsidies. A coincidence, no doubt, but the «funding partners» section on this association's website is blank!
One is permitted to question this departmental and thus taxpayers' generosity.
Will he survive Vassal? Not impossible….
[i] An employee, who is also a local elected official, on sick leave may lawfully exercise their elected mandate and receive their official allowances relating to their elected office if and only if such activity has been previously authorised by the doctor on the sick note. The right to daily allowances received in respect of their professional activity is subject to compliance with the provisions of Article L. 323-6 of the Social Security Code: observance of the practitioner's prescriptions, checks organised by the medical control service, compliance with the hours for going out authorised by the practitioner and refraining from any unauthorised activity. If the exercise of the mandate has not been authorised, they may be required by the CPAM to repay the daily allowances, or even face a financial penalty, as the Court of Cassation treats official allowances as an activity giving rise to remuneration (Cass. Civ., 15 June 2017, no. 16-17567).
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