By more than 500 French mayors warning the government of a budget that endangers their region
Even though the process of examining the Finance Bill is still difficult, elected officials at the regional level have made worrying observations. The 2026 APBN provides an unprecedented effort for local governments, although they have been heavily involved in 2025 and previous years. What’s worse, despite repeated warnings to the Government and MPs, the risk of urban and inter-municipal strangulation is now no longer a matter of public debate.
Losing billions: broken trust
However, what is set out in the 2026 RAPBN is the real destruction of our region, and the resulting weakening of local public services provided by communities serving their fellow citizens. The estimates made of the series of measures envisaged by Bercy are stark: with the possibility of more than six billion euros being taken directly from society, the effort required is truly unprecedented in history.
However, we do not limit a country to its territory. Local elected officials are responsible stewards of public funds, and they vote on balanced budgets every year as required by law. They are aware that these efforts must be carried out together and they must play their role in restoring public finances. But in reality, these imposed efforts are unfair, disproportionate and unacceptable.
Inter-City is the first casualty of this Budget
The figures are simply unbelievable: at more than two billion euros, a third of the planned contribution to society is borne by local governments alone, even though these contributions represent less than 20% of local government spending. However, attacking between cities also means eliminating the city government’s ability to serve its population.
Our communities in municipalities, towns and cities are a fundamental pillar of the Republic. They are responsible, together with municipal governments and other partners, for maintaining social cohesion by providing essential public services to their fellow citizens.
They are committed to providing access to housing for everyone, they treat and transport the drinking water we drink, they participate in the ecological transition by ensuring the management of our waste or by developing collective everyday transport, they create social ties by managing sports and cultural facilities, or early childhood facilities.
They also support our country’s economic development by supporting businesses from the smallest to the largest. It is all the missions they carry out every day, in the name of the unity of our country, that are in danger.
Not to mention the long-term investments they are making for the ecological transition and regional planning. With cities and municipalities no longer investing, the entire economic ecosystem weakens, and important growth becomes sluggish, triggering the risk of recession.
Industrial areas are the areas most affected
However, if inter-municipalities are the first victims of this APBN design, this is because behind every action discovered by Bercy, there is often the same adjustment variable: economic taxation, and therefore inter-municipalities are the main beneficiaries. By returning to compensation a fiscal instrument that it had decided to abolish in recent years, the State broke its own promise.
And in a context where factory closures are increasing and collective action to re-industrialize the country is essential, this reduction in compensation primarily impacts industrial or former industrial areas. This is a double whammy for regions that struggle to continue offering prospects for the industry. This is increasingly incoherent because all actors, including the state, intend to make reindustrialization in France a priority.
For most intercity cities, especially industrial cities, the reduction often exceeds 5 or even 10% of their annual revenue. If the copy is not reviewed, the impact will be very bad for society, and the French people will be the first victims in their daily lives.
Parliament and the Government must immediately rectify this situation. It is our ability to build a long-term future and maintain national unity that is at stake.
- And contrary to the contents of this draft Budget, it is critical that state and local governments jointly embark on streamlining public action – the only way to provide financial room for maneuver – and jointly build long-term contracts to provide financial and institutional visibility.
- Sebastien Miossec,
- Virginia Lutrot,
- Boris Ravignon,
- Patrice Vergriete,
- Johanna Rolland,
- Jean-Luc Moudenc,
- François Rebsamen,
- Christophe Bouillon,
- Gil Averous,
- Jean-François Debate,
- Pia Imbs,
- Gilles Carrez,
president of the Quimperlé Community
president of Caux Seine Agglo
mayor of Charleville-Mézières, president of Ardenne Métropole
former minister, president of the Dunkirk urban community
mayor of Nantes, president of Nantes Métropole
mayor of Toulouse, president of Toulouse Métropole
former minister, president of Dijon Métropole
mayor of Barentin, president of the commune of Caux Austreberthe
former minister, mayor of Châteauroux, president of Châteauroux Métropole
mayor of Bourg-en-Bresse, president of the Bourg en Bresse Basin agglomeration community
President of Eurometropolis Strasbourg
president of the national council for evaluation of standards, advisor to the Paris Est Marne et Bois community…
COMPLETE LIST
