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He called this measure a "revolution". During his general policy speech to the deputies on Wednesday, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that all the job creation of civil servants for the year 2021 will be - unless justified exceptions - in the departments. They are therefore at the center of the government's job recovery plan after the coronavirus crisis.
>> READ ALSO - What to remember from the general policy speech of Jean Castex
Decentralization dubbed by Emmanuel Macron ...
"Territories are people's lives. Liberating territories is liberating energies. It is a gamble on collective intelligence. We must rearm our territories," insisted the head of government. National Assembly, by proposing in the same way that a "right to the differentiation" of the territories is "enshrined in an organic law". And to continue: "I had made myself the defender, on the occasion of the mission which had been entrusted to me by the previous government on deconfinement, of the couple 'mayor - prefect of department'. Our intention is to make quickly more coherent and effective territorial organization of the State, in particular at the level of the department. "
A "new form of decentralization" therefore, already advocated at the beginning of June by an Emmanuel Macron "favorable for us to have more differentiation", but also demanded by the territories. On July 8, the communities gathered within United Territories (bringing together the regions, the Assembly of departments and the Association of Mayors of France) indeed asked the executive to initiate "a great movement of decentralization", to learn in particular the lessons of the health crisis and enable economic recovery.
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... and greeted with a smile by certain presidents of departments
As it was outlined and pending more details, the change of course seems to appeal to the main stakeholders. Questioned by Europe 1, the president of Loiret, Marc Gaudet (DVD), qualified the announcement of Jean Castex of "hand extended" to the territories, "chance to seize to restore the confidence of the French". The health crisis has shown that "the departments were also a very relevant level for managing daily life," he points out, recalling the role of the latter in "mass supply" of masks to health professionals, and medico-social establishments during the crisis.
In the neighboring department of Loir-et-Cher, President Nicolas Perruchot (LR) says he is "happy to see that the Prime Minister believes that we must rely on the territories to gain efficiency". "If tomorrow a decision comes to us from Paris must be the same for everyone, we will miss the goal," he said at the microphone of Europe 1. "This is where the State must try to both gain flexibility and agility, while possibly helping us do it with intelligence, "he continues. And to conclude: "Not all departments have the same needs at the same time, and we know where they are".