there is no question of eliminating certain local authorities, assures Eric Woerth

The mission on decentralization entrusted by Emmanuel Macron to the Renaissance deputy Eric Woerth does not aim to eliminate certain local authorities, in particular the departments, assured the elected official Friday November 17 on the occasion of the second “Saint-Denis meetings”.

The subject was one of those discussed during this new meeting between party leaders and the head of state. “It was an interesting round of discussion,” who showed a “convergence on the fact that we could not stop there” in terms of decentralization, Eric Woerth told AFP.

“Misunderstanding”

“I clarified things by saying that it was a mission which should lead to proposals for more decentralization, but also more responsibilities for those who exercise the skills, more clarity” and “more simplicity in the standards”, added the former minister. The concern of certain communities fearing they are threatened, in particular the departments, arises from “misunderstanding” according to the MP: “They understood that we wanted to remove a layer, to remove a layer from the millefeuille”, but “the millefeuille is like that and I want pragmatic conclusions”.

In the mission letter sent by Emmanuel Macron to Eric Woerth, the MP was asked in particular to look into “the simplification of territorial organization, with a view to reducing the number of decentralized strata which are currently too numerous”.

His mission should succeed “at the beginning of May“next to proposals for avenues of reform. Until then, Eric Woerth plans to meet all the party leaders, including those who declined this second edition of the “Saint-Denis meetings”. He specified that he would also see the group presidents in the Assembly and the Senate, and the leaders of the associations of elected officials.