Given the distrust of the presidents of the departmental councils regarding the government’s budgetary decisions, the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, wanted to reassure them, on Friday, November 15, during a speech at the congress of the departments of France, in Angers.
“We will significantly reduce the effort required of you », announced the head of Government, receiving applause, before adding: “At no time will my mentality be to point the finger at departments. » When announcing a series of ways to modify the budget text, Michel Barnier nevertheless estimated that “the objective [de déficit à 5 % du PIB pour 2025 ] » it had to be “canned”.
The 2025 finance bill currently being debated in Parliament foresees savings of €5 billion for communities. However, according to the Départements de France association, the departments are the most affected stratum of communities, with 44% of the effort, that is, 2.2 billion euros.
“Oxygen”
On the eve of Michel Barnier’s speech, the presidents of the right-wing departments had threatened to suspend the payment of active solidarity income (RSA) and stop caring for the new unaccompanied minors (UMA). The president of the group of right-wing, center and independent departments (DCI) within France’s departments, Nicolas Lacroix, also threatened “attack the state” in court every time he makes a decision “which impacts the finances of the departments without their agreement”.
Thus, before local elected officials, the Prime Minister asked, in response, “a change in the way departments are financed”while according to him, “Fiscal leverage has been significantly reduced; wonder even if it still exists ».
“I do not accept that the departments have the feeling of becoming simple operators of the State. “This is not what we wanted with the decentralization laws.”he remembered. Michel Barnier has expressed his desire to “return room for maneuver, oxygen, freedom” to the departments, “to restore the meaning of [leur] assignment “.