Proposal by Xavier Bertrand, Hauts-de-France President: Combine Elected Departmental and Regional Representatives in Budget Adjustments
Meeting the Challengehead: Revamping Local Spending Before the Territorial Finance Conference
On May 7, right here, regional president Xavier Bertrand and the founding father of the "Nous France" movement dared to propose a game-changer: melding departmental and regional elected representatives. The French government eyes up to €40 billion worth of savings for the 2026 budget, as noted by Prime Minister François Bayrou, who also wants a nationwide vote on public finances.
Bravery and Common Sense
Bertrand himself calls this move "requiring courage, but also basic common sense," aiming to present it to the French people for a verdict. Why? By unifying departmental and regional officials, they could share resources like staff, IT infrastructure, and even school cafeteria procurement (unless you're a culinary snob, they're just snack bars to us). You see, cities manage colleges and counties oversee high schools, so it'll be like a happy family reunion. If that doesn't convince you, Bertrand mentions that communes and metropolises have the same leaders, so it's deja vu all over again.
A No Vote on Deficit Living
When asked if local lawmakers might shake their head at this proposal, Bertrand's response? "Are you suggesting most politicians will hesitate to cut their own branch? Probably, but let's put it to a national vote."
"This is straightforward, it takes guts, and I'm convinced the French are brave," Bertrand continues.
A Golden Rule for Budgeting
Bertrand also promotes a "golden rule" that would keep the state from approving a deficit budget. He points out this rule already applies to local authorities. To Bayrou's proposal, Bertrand playfully quips: "If his referendum is about asking 'Tax us more/Less?' or 'Deficits: Yay or Nay?' my answer is clear. But if the referendum implements a golden rule—the state won't vote for deficit budgets in the future—that's what it takes to be brave, and that's what local authorities have been doing for years."
"Financial stress is sweeping through the land. The spirit of tax approval is disappearing," Bertrand frets. "All the French people can understand one thing: spending reductions." The regional president rounds it off.
[1] Though the enrichment data doesn't contribute directly to the merger proposal, it demonstrates Bertrand's commitment to addressing regional concerns and pushing for political action. Finding official statements or press releases from the Hauts-de-France regional government or French national government may provide essential updates on this proposed merger.
- Bertrand, the regional president of Hauts-de-France, is committed to addressing regional concerns and pushing for political action, as demonstrated by his proposal to merge departmental and regional elected representatives.
- Bertrand aims to present the merger proposal to the French people for a verdict, believing that it requires courage and common sense to eliminate redundancies in resources among communes, metropolises, and their corresponding educational institutions.
- If the proposed merger is subject to a national vote, Bertrand intends to advocate for a "golden rule" that would prohibit the approval of deficit budgets, a policy that he believes aligns with the current practices of local authorities.
- As various powers, including policy-and-legislation, politics, general-news, and Bertrand himself, debate this proposed merger and related budgeting policies, it is probable that the French government's goal of saving €40 billion for the 2026 budget will play a significant role in the final outcome of this issue.
