"No reduction in endowments" of communities assures Christophe Béchu

Mr. Béchu responds to the reactions of various associations of elected officials, after the presentation Thursday to the press by the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire of the stability program that the executive transmits to the European Commission for the period 2022-2027.

The Association of Mayors of France (AMF), the Association of Small Towns of France (APVF) or the Assembly of the Departments of France (AdF) had expressed their "trouble", "misunderstanding" or "astonishment" on Friday. after remarks by Mr. Le Maire evoking a 0,5% drop in the operating expenses of local authorities between 2022 and 2027.

"The stability pact provides on the contrary for an increase in community spending of 24 billion euros over the same period", explains Mr. Béchu.

Rather than a decrease of 0,5%, the minister in charge of territorial cohesion evokes "a moderation of operating expenses so that they increase on average annually by 0,5% less than their natural trend".

"To achieve this objective, local authorities will find the State on their side through increased support for investment in ecological transition", adds Christophe Béchu.

The presentation by France of the stability program in Brussels "will not prevent the essential consultations which must be held between the State and the communities from the start of the school year", he announces.