Around a hundred mayors gathered on Thursday, November 7, outside the prefecture of Haute-Garonne in Toulouse to protest against budget cuts announced by the government. The mayors and local elected officials expressed a deep anger and sense of injustice over the measures proposed in the budget, which are expected to result in significant cuts to the budgets of local authorities. These cuts are part of a plan to save 11 billion euros from the budget of local authorities, according to calculations made by the Association of Mayors of France (AMF).
Among those protesting were mayors, municipal councilors, as well as elected officials from the regional council of Occitanie. They voiced their concerns about the impact of the measures announced in the budget, which they believe will have disastrous consequences for local communities. For example, Christophe Lubac, the mayor of Ramonville, stated that the recent decisions will require an additional financial effort of 480,000 euros by the end of his mandate, which is equivalent to the cost of twelve to fourteen jobs. In Colomiers, the impact of the government’s measures is estimated to be around 3 million euros out of a total municipal budget of 70 million euros. This is due to cuts in general operating grants, increased contributions to the special social security regime responsible for the pension system of local government employees, and higher direct deductions from municipal finances by the state.
Many mayors feel the burden of these financial challenges on their communities, with Karine Traval-Michelet pointing out that her municipality has lost 80% of its revenues over the past ten years. She emphasized that they are responsible managers and are simply asking for consideration and dialogue from the government. In solidarity with the protest, around thirty mayors in the region decided to close their town halls for the day. In Léguevin, to the west of Toulouse, the mayor, Etienne Cardeilhac-Pugens, has had to halt all urban development projects until 2025 due to budget constraints. Despite the need for a new police station in the area, the project had to be abandoned due to lack of funding, forcing the mayor to hire additional municipal officers to meet the demands of the population.
The mayors and local officials are calling for a more respectful and inclusive dialogue with the government to address the financial challenges faced by local authorities. They are concerned about the long-term viability of their communities if the current trend of budget cuts and increased financial burdens from the state continues. The protest in Toulouse is part of a growing wave of discontent among local authorities across France who feel marginalized and underfunded by the central government. These demonstrations highlight the importance of local governance and the need for greater support and recognition from national authorities to ensure the sustainable development and well-being of local communities.
