several local elected officials are wondering about the possible consequences of the savings requested from communities

The government is asking local authorities to make a budgetary effort for the 2025 budget. An effort strongly criticized by local elected officials who feel they have already contributed heavily to “recovering their finances” and who are warning about the social impact of such measure.

Local authorities will have to tighten their belts. An effort of 5 billion euros will be requested from the regions, departments and municipalities. Government announcement Tuesday, October 8 as part of the savings plan which should ultimately make it possible to reduce France’s deficit.

According to the Association of Mayors of France, this budgetary effort represents “an unprecedented drain”. And the local elected officials contacted by franceinfo do not take offense.

Pierre Cuny, the Horizons mayor of Thionville (Moselle), has the impression of being the good student who is nevertheless being asked to make more efforts. “Asking communities that have contributed very heavily for years and years to restore their finances, to ask them for an additional contribution, is a bit strong.”

And this will inevitably have concrete repercussions on the projects underway in its municipality, “such as nurseries, he adds. We are currently launching a project on multi-receptions, possibly extensions of public buildings or sports facilities, all of this will be considered.”

Saving money, again, when communities are already at their wit’s end, is untenable, believes Jean-Luc Gleyze, the PS president of the Gironde departmental council: “From now on, what we are asked to do in terms of the economy is to make choices as simple as these: should we abandon the elderly, no longer allow them to access a nursing home? Should we leave disabled people without support? Should we no longer protect children who are entrusted to child welfare?”

According to the elected official, these are also solidarity associations that the department will no longer be able to help. In short, the entire social fabric will be affected, he concludes.