GETTY Robert Ménard will hold a referendum to decide whether to accept a quota of migrants or not

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Thousands of asylum seekers are currently being relocated to reception centres across France. But Robert Ménard, the mayor of Béziers, a town in southern France, says that he would like to hold the referendum in January, and will formally submit his proposal to members of the town council as early as next week.

Are you willing to take on more migrants, even though they have been imposed on us by the government, without any prior warning, and without prior consultation? Robert Ménard

The mayor, who is a member of the National Front, wants to ask locals the following question: “Are you willing to take on more migrants, even though they have been imposed on us by the government, without any prior warning, and without prior consultation?” The mayor decided to organise a referendum after finding out that the government had asked a local reception centre – which currently has 50 beds – to create an additional 40 shelter places for Calais’s homeless migrants.

There are two reception centres in Béziers: the first is run by the local authorities and can sleep up to 24 refugees; and the second, which is the one which has been asked to take in the Calais migrants, is run by the charity Cimade. “Outraged” and “worried” about the last-minute decision, Mr Ménard has accused local officials of failing to pass on the “key” information. Extending the reception centre will put the town’s schools at risk, jeopardize security, and is unhygienic, he said. Mr Ménard told French daily Le Monde: “What is happening is not normal. The State cannot make important decisions without talking to the mayor about them first.

Migrants clash with police across Europe Wed, February 15, 2017 Migrants clash with each other in over crowded camps across Europe. Play slideshow EPA 1 of 107 Moroccan Police look at immigrants trying to jump the six-meter-high fence in Ceuta, Spanish enclave on the north of Africa, 09 December 2016.

GETTY Anti-racism campaigners SOS-Racisme fear the posters will trigger a spike in hate crimes

“I want to know what the locals think about this. I just hope that the prefect does not oppose the referendum.” The extreme-right mayor has argued that the additional shelter places will “inevitably become permanent” and not temporary, as stated in the government’s relocation plan.

GETTY The idea of the referendum follows the proposal for a reception centre to take in more migrants

Earlier this week, Mr Ménard made a controversial statement by launching a poster campaign designed to generate fear and hate against migrants. Posters with the phrase “That’s it, they’re coming!” and “Migrants in our town!” were plastered across Béziers. The images, also shocking, showed people – presumably immigrants – running towards the local cathedral.

GETTY Another 40 places would be created at the local reception centre on top of the 50 already existing