The State has not done enough for the economic development of the suburbs, according to a survey

For 44% of respondents, the suburbs constitute areas with equal (29%) or even greater (15%) economic opportunities than others, while 35% consider that they are rather disadvantaged, particularly in terms of jobs or business creation.

Nearly half of French people believe that the State has a responsibility in the economic development of the suburbs and that governments have not done enough, according to an Ifop poll published Thursday, a few days before a “Davos” for the suburbs. According to the survey entitled “The French view on the economic dynamism of the French suburbs”, 49% of those surveyed believe that successive governments have not done enough to support the economy of these territories, compared to 20% and 15% respectively who believe that support is at the right level, or even too high.

For 44% of respondents, the suburbs are areas with equal (29%) or even greater (15%) economic opportunities than others, while 35% believe that they are rather disadvantaged, particularly in terms of jobs or business creation. The two main difficulties perceived are of a societal and not economic nature, namely “the feeling of insecurity” and “the negative preconceptions” about the suburbs. Among the perceived assets, the proximity of large urban centers and “human wealth” are most often cited, in particular “cultural and social diversity” and “motivated youth”.

Increasing training and simplifying procedures for businesses

The sectors of activity considered the most promising are personal services (21%), the construction sector on a par with education, health and social action (16%), then trade (13%). Training comes first (45%) of the “solutions” cited as potentially the most useful for companies established in the suburbs, as well as the simplification of procedures (44%). Financial aid is, moreover, cited first (38%) ahead of infrastructure (37%) in the list of “additional measures” that could be taken by the government to encourage the economic dynamism of the suburbs.

The survey commissioned by the French Banking Federation and the Economic Forum of the Suburbs (FEB) was conducted by online questionnaire from July 24 to 26 on a sample of 1,002 people representative of the population aged 18 and over. It comes a few days before a “Davos” of the suburbs organized on September 17 and 18 in Paris to promote the activity of companies in working-class neighborhoods. The thousand or so participants expected will first spend a day working on the economic situation of working-class neighborhoods and the solutions that can be provided. The second day will be devoted to connecting entrepreneurs from the neighborhoods with large companies, with the aim of securing 100 million euros in orders.