Overview
- The association Suivez la flèche's 28‑member board elected Stéphane Bern on Thursday, July 23, after Saint‑Denis mayor Bally Bagayoko withdrew from the vote and did not take part.
- Project managers say the reconstruction has a roughly €38 million budget and still needs about €4–4.5 million, equal to roughly 10% of total costs, to be fully financed.
- Bern, already an administrator on the council, says the French State encouraged his candidacy and he plans to use his national profile and donor network to attract sponsors and more visitors.
- Bagayoko and some local figures view Bern’s selection as politically driven and objected to the break with the recent practice of mayors holding the presidency, creating local governance tensions to monitor.
- The reconstruction began publicly in March 2025 as a multi‑year 'chantier‑école' combining restoration, training and tourism, and the new leadership will determine how fundraising and public outreach finish the work.