This Sunday, November 17, French people should come together to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the Yellow Vests. The citizens' movement, born in reaction to the planned increase in the carbon tax, stunned the country in the fall of 2018. Present on the roundabouts, the demonstrators let out their anger at the high cost of living and the feeling of abandonment of the State. Six months later, on April 25, 2019, at the end of a Great National Debate, Emmanuel Macron tried to provide concrete answers.
Among his ideas, drawing inspiration from the Canadian model to centralize public services in single reception points throughout the territory. “I want us to set up (…) this house which would be called “France Services” or in each canton, on average, we could have a place where the reception for the public of services of the 'State (…) “, announced the head of state.
Five years later, the Barnier government is launching a major communication campaign on France Services (MFS) houses this November. What conclusions can be drawn from the establishment of these structures, the official framework of which was established by a circular of July 1, 2019? Do they really meet citizens’ expectations? Have they made it possible to rebuild a bond of trust with the French people furthest from public services?
One thing is certain: since the presidential announcement, France services houses – often from the former Public Service Houses (MSAP) – have multiplied throughout the country. From 1,123 as of December 31, 2020, France now has 2,753 (as of September 15). It should reach “the objective of 2,800 by the end of the year”rejoices the Minister of the Civil Service Guillaume Kasbarian in the official government booklet. “ Every French person has local, quality support less than 20 minutes from home”promises the executive.
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Author of a dedicated report submitted on June 27, 2023 to former minister Stanislas Guérini, the senator from Cantal (Centrist Union), Bernard Delcros, takes a positive look at the development of these structures. “ In an increasingly dematerialized society, France services houses put people back at the heart of the territories between the administration and users”he congratulates himself to The Tribune.
Assistance with administrative procedures
Retirement, taxes, employment… The structures have been designed to help users with their administrative procedures. They currently host 11 State operators: the Family Allowance Fund (CAF), France Titles, Retirement Insurance, Health Insurance, Energy Check, Public Finance, France Travail, France Rénov, Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA), the Post Office and the Ministry of Justice.
From January 1, 2025, Urssaf will answer questions from individual employers and self-employed people. “I plead for other operators to enter the systemcontinues Senator Delcros. Like Agirc-Arrco which manages supplementary pensions or the National Center for University and School Work (Cnous) which manages the Crous network. »
In Sceaux (Hauts-de-Seine), the MSF is located in a former post office in Blagis, a rather popular neighborhood in this bourgeois town in western Paris. “We carry out between 500 and 700 procedures per month, testifies the mayor (UDI) Philippe Laurent. It works well, people are very happy! » A finding corroborated by the Court of Auditors in a report : “The satisfaction of users of France services spaces exceeds 90%. »
Far from Sceaux, in La Canourgue in Lozère, two agents take turns every day, including Saturdays, in the France services house opened a little over three years ago in this small rural village of 2,200 inhabitants. The municipality added a digital advisor to them and installed a coworking space upstairs. In 2023, 4,300 users showed up, and there are already 6,175 since the start of the year. Mayor Claude Malzac also testifies to the satisfaction of users: “ Attendance is growing. During the last flood episode (October 7 and 8, editor’s note), we opened half a day for farmers to make their declaration. And this summer, with the Regional Health Agency, we implemented an action on good summer reflexes. »
But who are the French who have gotten into the habit of passing through the doors of the MSF? “58% of users are over 55 years old and the majority of them are women (56%). Young people are poorly represented (6% of users are under 26)”details the Court of Auditors. “The people who come are often elderly or unemployed,” complete with The Tribune Luc Farré, national secretary of the UNSA in charge of public action and public services. People often struggle with digital tools.
The communist mayor of Allonnes (Sarthe) Gilles Leproust notices this digital divide every day among his constituents. In its commune, located in the suburbs of Le Mans, the structure – called Le Cube – is located in the heart of the city's priority district (QPV) Chaoué-Perrières. Inaugurated in 2019, it was originally dedicated to providing IT assistance to residents. Now, it welcomes 3,500 people per year, which is not negligible for a town of 11,000 inhabitants. To turn The Cube, “we have four municipal agentsdetails the councilor. The organizer of the space is category A (civil service nomenclature, editor's note) and the other agents are category C. These agents, who have an appetite for welcoming the public, previously worked at the town hall. »
7,100 France services advisors
According to government figures, France has “7,100 France Services advisors (who) support users in their daily procedures”. A job that is officially listed in the civil service career directory. But “the specificities of this profession are not yet sufficiently valued in the career paths of advisors”regrets the Court of Auditors. “At the start, there were mainly precarious jobs, subsidized contracts or contract workersadmits Senator Delcros. Little by little, these jobs are stabilizing and agents are professionalizing. »
But for advisors, training in administrative twists and turns still remains a major issue. “Despite their will, the agents can only answer a first level of questions and the public sometimes feels frustrated”points out Luc Farré, responsible for public services at the UNSA. In La Canourgue in Lozère, there are multiple requests: agents are asked for procedures related to registration, driving licenses and identity documents (485 since January 2024), taxes (265), retirement (216) or France Travail (146). In these conditions, it is difficult for them to have answers to everything! “Training is carried out more regularly from now on, and I have asked that it be carried out at the departmental level in addition to national “webinars””argues Senator Bernard Delcros.
Example of the “basic” training over 6 days (36 hours) provided to France Services advisors in 2023.
To overcome the difficulties, advisors can call on “a State agent placed under the authority of the prefect who runs the network”recalls Bernard Delcros. A kind of « back-office » technical questions. Above all, public operators (DGFiP, France Travail, for example.) are required to travel. “France Travail will soon hold office hours once a week at the Cube”learn to The Tribune the Sarthois councilor Gilles Leproust. Another example: “Agents from the General Directorate of Public Finances (DGFiP) go for the day or half-day, depending on the schedule, to France services houses”says Olivier Villois, general secretary of the CGT Public Finances.
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Does this mean that public operators use MSF to unload? “Overall, the operators play the game”believes Senator Delcros. For Gilles Leproust, also president of the association of Ville & Banlieue de France mayors, the story is different. “It remains a danger”breathes the elected communist who fears seeing public operators desert the territories, especially priority neighborhoods.
At the CGT Public Finances, we also take a very critical look at these structures: “They were created because we closed treasuries,” highlights Olivier Villois. As a reminder, the DGFiP has lost more than 30,000 positions since 2008. In this period of budgetary scarcity for the State – the public deficit in France will reach 6.1% in 2024 – public operators could be tempted to make new economies.
A high cost for local authorities
“In France, the average cost of a France services house amounts to 110,000 euros”recalls Bernard Delcros. The mayor of Sceaux Philippe Laurent lists the costs linked to his Blagis structure: “As the old post office was in poor condition, I had to carry out 200,000 euros of development work, he explains. With rental charges and the 3 municipal agents, we have an operating budget of 150,000 euros per year. The State pays a flat rate of 40,000 euros, so there remains 110,000 euros per year payable by the municipality. »
Good news however, state support will increase next year. “ In 2025, the endowment will increase to 45,000 euros, specifies Senator Bernard Delcros. And the idea is that it will reach 50,000 euros per structure in 2026.” Also vice-president of the Finance Committee at the Palais du Luxembourg, the parliamentarian will table an amendment to the 2025 budget to establish an increased allocation of 10,000 euros for France services houses located in France rurality revitalization (FRR) zones.
In total, the cost of the France Service program amounts to “350 million euros” this year for the State, according to the Court of Auditors. Only problem? This budget does not “does not take into account situations of saturation of certain spaces”torpedoes rue Cambon. The Court of Auditors suggests the implementation of a “ an additional lump sum subsidy (…) to ensure support for the program in spaces faced with attendance greater than their reception capacity”.
This is the case, for example, in La Canourgue where users also come « of the entire canton, the Aubrac basin or the Lot valley”, specifies councilor Claude Malzac. And despite the state package, “the financial burden always weighs more on local carriers than on the State and its operators”insist the financial magistrates.
So, when local elected officials discovered the government's communications campaign at the beginning of November, it's an understatement to say that they grimaced! “I find that the State is really bloated, there is not a word for local authorities! »laughs yellow Philippe Laurent. “We are unfortunately used to this behavior”deplores Gilles Leproust. It's difficult to prove them wrong: there is no trace of local authorities in the 30-second advertising spot put online on November 4 by the executive. But the mayors know it: they need the State to make “their” France services houses better known. The notoriety of these reception places is based “mainly word of mouth”deplores the Court of Auditors.
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