Unprecedented strike shuts most shops at Fontvieille Shopping Centre
Most of the shops at Fontvieille Shopping Centre closed their shutters and put up posters in protest © Benjamin Godart - Monaco Tribune
The vast majority of retailers at Fontvieille Shopping Centre closed their doors on Monday 9 February, prompting a wave of institutional reactions.
Dozens of employees and managers gathered in the aisles of Fontvieille Shopping Centre, not to work, but to express their doubts about the uncertain future that seems to be looming. The leaflets distributed to passers-by summed up the general feeling: ‘We are closing today so that we don’t have to close permanently tomorrow.’ Shopkeepers are criticising a restructuring project that is several years behind schedule, despite already substantial expenditure, and which, in their view, does not take their needs into account. The modernisation project, which has been awaited for many years, is not expected to begin before 2028.
A project unveiled in July
In July 2025, the Government presented the broad outlines of the restructuring during a plenary study committee meeting. To support this project, an individual support scheme for traders was also mentioned. This promise has not been kept, according to the traders, who on Monday put up numerous posters with explicit messages for customers to read: ‘We are in favour of modernising the shopping centre but against our exclusion’ and ‘Deaf government, absent National Council, traders at their wits’ end’.
Reactions from all sides
The President of the National Council, Thomas Brezzo, quickly responded in a press release, pointing out ‘the government’s inaction and failure to honour its commitments’ and announcing that he would be meeting with traders in the coming days alongside Corinne Bertani, Vice-President in charge of Trade.
For its part, the Prince’s Government said it was ‘particularly attentive’ to the situation, pointing out that a support package had been presented individually to operators, ‘both those who have suspended their activities and those who wish to continue their activities until the start of the works’. The Minister of State proposed organising a meeting with retailers and continuing the dialogue with the Economic Interest Group office.
Finally, FEDEM expressed its support for its member and affiliate, the Union of Merchants and Artisans of Monaco (UCAM), and called for ‘the opening of a constructive dialogue,’ emphasising that the shopping centre remains ‘an essential lever of attractiveness’ for the Principality.