She warned from the outset: Elisabeth Borne was not there “to issue decisions taken by the State” or ” put ” elected officials present “in the face of a fait accompli”. The much-awaited speech by the Prime Minister, at the end of the Congress of the Regions of France, which was held in Vichy (Allier), Thursday September 15 and Friday September 16, was more a discourse on method than a catalog. of measures. And the reception was mixed among the presidents of the regions. Some, in fact, were waiting for sensational announcements on the new decentralization law promised by the President of the Republic at the beginning of September, calling for “switch from a model where the decision is taken in Paris to a model where the decisions come from the territories”.
But the head of government was clearly eager to turn the page on a first five-year term marked by mistrust and disillusionment between the executive and local communities. After emphasizing “the central role” played by the regions in multiple areas, it has above all renewed its commitment to “extend the dialogue”in order to “build common and adapted solutions” with the regional presidents. “We must unite to find solutions in favor of the Frenchshe pointed out. Only the collective will make it possible to succeed. »
“Consultation”, “construction of a shared work program”… After laying the foundations for a “new stage”, Elisabeth Borne has nevertheless taken a few small steps towards the regions. Especially on a subject that is of great concern to the bosses of these communities: finances. She promised to “readability” on the means. “The multiannual financial pact that we are building will guarantee the basket of resources for the regions”, she assured. Without detailing the amount of possible state aid for communities, struggling to pay their gas or electricity bills. In the face of inflation and soaring energy prices, the Prime Minister only promised that “The government will continue to be present to support communities in difficulty”.
“A framework” and “tracks”
On differentiation, she promised that the state will be ” the appointment “. “I know that this principle is central to you”she recalled. “We must take into account the specificities of each territory” et “give each other leeway, and trust you to experiment and innovate”. At the end of the speech, she also returned to the subject. “Some regions have expressed their desire to carry out experiments on certain public policies. I am in favor of it, and I hope that in the coming weeks, we will be able to identify pilot regions to innovate in certain strategic areas such as ecological transition, reindustrialisation, training or agriculture. »
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