The State promises a "shock" of construction starts to accelerate reconstruction in Mayotte

Accelerating projects that are struggling to get off the ground

“We need to take action, not just talk,” declared Sébastien Lecornu alongside the mayor of Mamoudzou, Ambdilwahedou Soumaïla, to get “more gyms like this.” The Prime Minister was visiting a recently opened sports hall in the capital of Mayotte, at the start of the second and final day of his trip to the department.

Cyclone Chido, which struck the archipelago in December 2024, killed at least 40 people and destroyed numerous homes and infrastructure. The planning law for the redevelopment of Mayotte was enacted in August 2025, but many projects are still slow to become operational.

Reconstruction is "taking far too long (...) and this is obviously creating a great deal of despair, which I understand," Sébastien Lecornu acknowledged the previous day before the Mayotte Assembly. The head of government said he wanted to "remove the obstacles" that are slowing down the operations.

State advances increased to 60%

To facilitate the start of construction projects, the government must increase the proportion of advance payments made to local authorities from 30% to 60%. This measure aims to reduce cash flow difficulties that could delay the ordering and execution of works.

Sébastien Lecornu also proposed "reviewing the governance" of the reconstruction. Mayors would be more involved in steering the projects, while the prefectural team responsible for monitoring them would be strengthened.

In response, the Prime Minister called on local officials to "issue permits quickly." He also suggested "industrializing" the design of certain public buildings, for example by using the same model for several schools. This standardization could shorten the design phase and facilitate the transition to construction.

A visit marked by political and social tensions

Sébastien Lecornu defended a "government of mission" that is "not campaigning for elections." His visit, however, was not immune to the political tensions surrounding the upcoming presidential election.

Several candidates have begun visiting the archipelago, following in the footsteps of Édouard Philippe the previous week. In Mayotte, a territory with a Muslim tradition, Marine Le Pen obtained 59% of the vote in the second round of the 2022 presidential election. She is once again considered the favorite there for the upcoming election.

Upon his arrival on Wednesday, the Prime Minister was greeted by protesters demanding a wage increase. The demonstration was dispersed by police, and a union representative was taken into custody. On Thursday morning, Sébastien Lecornu's office met with representatives from the inter-union group, as well as employers' and non-profit organizations.

Leaving the departmental council meeting, Estelle Youssouffa, a member of parliament from the Liberties, Independents, Overseas and Territories (LIOT) group, denounced the government's "PR stunt" for arriving "empty-handed." She also promised to vote for another motion of censure.

Estelle Youssouffa and National Rally (RN) MP Anchya Bamana also questioned the Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist, during her visit to the Mayotte hospital. They specifically raised the issue of housing for healthcare workers and the insecurity some professionals face during their commutes.

A debate on the fight against irregular immigration

Another major topic of discussion, the fight against illegal immigration, provoked a heated political confrontation. Mathilde Panot, leader of the La France Insoumise deputies, accused the government of wanting to "throw people into the sea" by proposing to "militarize" the system.

“To suggest that the role of our armies would be to ‘throw people into the sea’ is an outrage,” Sébastien Lecornu replied on the social network X.

Irregular arrivals in Mayotte come mainly from the neighboring Comoros, but also, more recently, from several countries in the Great Lakes region. France intends to make part of its public development aid conditional on improved cooperation in "the fight against smugglers" and in "the ability to recapture undocumented migrants."

The countries mentioned are Comoros, Burundi, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia and Kenya.

Accompanied by six ministers, including those in charge of Defense and the Interior, Sébastien Lecornu aims to strengthen the military response. The announced plan includes the use of drones and tethered balloons to monitor approaches to the archipelago, as well as more interceptor vessels.

The price of bottled water must be capped.

The Prime Minister finally addressed the issue of water supply, as families in Mayotte continue to regularly face water cuts. He announced a price cap on bottled water, without specifying the amount or the implementation schedule.