Representatives of left-wing regions, departments, and municipalities have expressed concerns over the government’s budget proposal, fearing they will be dragged into the “general drowning” of public accounts, as the government plans to implement 5 billion euros in savings on local authorities. During a joint press conference at the Senate in Paris, organized by the socialist group, representatives of Territoires unis, which includes Régions de France, the Assemblée des départements de France (ADF), and the Association des maires de France (AMF), voiced their concerns.
President of Régions de France, Carole Delga, expressed extreme worry about the proposal, stating that it places an excessively high burden on local authorities. She hoped for changes during budget debates to return to a “fair and proportionate effort” without “breaking growth.” Vice-president of the Association des maires de France (AMF) André Laignel warned that “the State is drowning and risks dragging local authorities into this general drowning,” denouncing an unprecedented “purge.”
These representatives, affiliated with the Socialist Party, deemed the government’s stated 5 billion euros in savings for local authorities to be insincere. Laignel estimated the impact to be 9.7 billion euros, while Delga believed it would be closer to 10 billion euros, considering the 1.5 billion euro cut in the green fund. According to Jean-Luc Gleyze, president of the left-wing departments of the ADF, 85% of departments will have “negative net savings” by 2025 if the budget is passed as is, and 29 departments will be in the red by the end of 2024.
President of the socialist senators, Patrick Kanner, criticized the “logic of infantilizing local authorities, which become a variable for adjusting the budgetary mismanagement in which the government has placed the country.” He pledged to fight during budget debates in the Senate, a chamber that traditionally defends the budgets of local authorities, but whose majority alliance between the right and center has moved to support the government majority since the fall.
The left-wing communities fear that the budget proposal will lead to a crisis in their public accounts, as the government plans to save 5 billion euros from local authorities. Representatives of various regions, departments, and municipalities have raised concerns that the proposed cuts are excessive and could hinder economic growth. They argue that the government’s figures regarding savings for local authorities are misleading and estimate the actual impact to be significantly higher, potentially leading to financial instability for many regions and departments.
The President of Régions de France, Carole Delga, along with other officials from Territoires unis, has called for a more balanced approach to budget planning that does not disproportionately burden local authorities. They warn that if the budget is passed as is, many departments will face negative financial outcomes, with some being in the red as early as 2024. The left-wing representatives have accused the government of disregarding the financial well-being of local communities and using them as scapegoats for broader budgetary issues.
Despite the challenges ahead, the socialist senators, led by Patrick Kanner, have vowed to fight against the budget proposal in the Senate. They criticize the government’s handling of the budget and its impact on local communities, painting a bleak picture of financial instability and lack of support for regions and departments. As debates over the budget continue, it remains to be seen how local authorities will navigate these turbulent waters and whether the government will heed their concerns and adjust its approach to budget planning.
