A comprehensive report on decentralization, commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron and presented by Éric Woerth, outlines several recommendations to reshape the country's territorial organization. Among the prominent suggestions is a controversial proposition to restore the accumulation of mandates, which was abolished in 2017 by a law adopted in 2014. The report advocates allowing any parliamentarian to also serve as a mayor, deputy mayor, or president of an intermunicipality. This change aims to streamline political responsibilities and improve governance efficiency at local levels.
Furthermore, the Woerth report suggests a significant reduction in the number of municipal councilors by 20%, equating to around 100,000 elected officials. This proposal extends to electing regional and departmental councilors via the same ballot and revising the electoral processes in major cities like Paris, Lyon, and Marseille to select mayors through a two-round list ballot system. Such changes intend to simplify the electoral processes and enhance decision-making transparency.
The 86-page report, filled with 51 recommendations, provides various pathways to better distribute skills across different levels of government. It proposes allocating housing responsibilities to municipalities, home help and roads to departments, and economic development and seaport management to regions. These measures aim to create a more coherent and efficient distribution of responsibilities, thereby restoring trust between the state and local communities.
Éric Woerth, who was tasked with this mission by Macron in November, delivered his findings earlier this May. However, several external factors, including the crisis in New Caledonia, delayed the official presentation until this Thursday. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has shown support for enacting a law based on Woerth's findings by the end of 2024, signaling the government's commitment to decentralization reform.
Woerth's report dismisses the notion of reducing the number of decentralized strata, despite Macron's initial inclination towards this idea in the mission letter. Instead, the report emphasizes a reorganization of competencies attributed to different administrative levels. This approach aims to address the current complexity of the territorial millefeuille that often confounds citizens and officials alike. By focusing on a more nuanced reallocation of skills, the report seeks to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of local governance.
- The report also touches on various other aspects that could help streamline local governance. It considers modifying the administrative procedures to foster more direct communication between different levels of government. The emphasis is on creating a more collaborative environment where the state and local governments work in synergy.
- Additionally, recommendations extend to improving public service delivery by redistributing workloads and responsibilities. This could lead to an overall improvement in the quality of public services provided to citizens.
