Lionel Beffre, Government Counsellor – Minister for the Interior: Security, youth and culture as priorities
Lionel Beffre, Minister for the Interior, at the press conference in the Auditorium Rainier III © Communication department / Manuel Vitali
The Stade Louis II will be renovated to host the Games of the Small States of Europe in 2027, and the Villa Sauber is due to be redesigned by Renzo Piano, with the work scheduled to start in 2026.
Lionel Beffre, Minister for the Interior, took stock of the first few months of his term of office and outlined future prospects at a press conference. We provide an overview of the main topics discussed.
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1. Tighter security over the festive season
Safety is an absolute priority in the Principality, and extra measures will be put in place to ensure the festive season is a peaceful one: increased police presence, heightened surveillance in strategic areas and stricter checks. These will include the station as well as public areas hosting festivities such as the Christmas village and a number of sporting events.
Special attention will be paid to road safety. “We have observed that accidents are largely due to the consumption of alcohol or drugs,” said Lionel Beffre. In response, more frequent checks will be carried out, especially during festive evenings. The Government is also considering legislative changes to allow random roadblocks followed by checks, similar to those used in France. Today, roadside checks can only be carried out when there is a clear state of drunkenness, as the Department of the Interior told us in July.
2. “Our youth is our future”
Lionel Beffre praised the efforts made in digital technology, with 2,300 computers being replaced in schools.
In addition to these tools, the government is focusing on preventing bullying at school. To that end, educational frescoes will be created in schools, and appropriate educational content such as short films and children’s books will be produced. “Our youth is our future, and we must fully commit to it,” he said.
To better meet youngsters’ expectations, Lionel Beffre also announced the reactivation of the Youth Advisory Committee, “which has been dormant since 2011.” “The best ideas we can have are the ones that they themselves have,” he added.
3. A new museum for culture in 2029
Monaco is a “cultural laboratory” according to Lionel Beffre. To back this up, the Councillor pointed out that three of the exhibitions held in the Principality in recent years were already headed to France, or scheduled to do so, at the Centre Pompidou, the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Grand Palais in Paris.
After launching the new Culture.mc platform, which features all the Principality’s cultural events and is a key promotional tool for local structures, the new flagship project is the renovation of the Villa Sauber.
Exhibition space will have increased sixfold by 2029. “We’re going to increase our exhibition space from 650 to 4,000 m²,” he said. To achieve this, the villa will undergo a complete transformation while preserving its heritage, since the extension will be built underground. Renovations of the esplanade and garden are also planned.
Entrusted to Renzo Piano, the new Villa Sauber is set to become “the Principality’s cultural signature” and will provide a showcase for the permanent collections that are currently stored out of sight in the Principality, due to lack of space. Work should begin in 2026. The project had been “in the pipeline for over 20 years,” said Françoise Gamerdinger, Director of Cultural Affairs.
4. Sport and international events on the agenda
2025 will be a pivotal year, with Monaco as the world sports capital. In 2026, the Principality will host the start of the 81st “La Vuelta” sailing race around Spain. The Games of the Small States of Europe in 2027 will also be a key event for the Principality. Three years filled with sport, as the Government Minister pointed out.
The Stade Louis-II will undergo a vast redevelopment programme between now and 2027 in order to meet the demands of these major events. The work will include modernisation of the stands, with more comfortable seating, refreshment areas and an extension to the toilet facilities, announced Lionel Beffre. The aim of the renovations is to provide greater comfort for spectators and bring the infrastructure up to international standards. What about the red and white seats the fans are expecting? A decision has not yet been made on the subject.