In Gard, town halls closed against austerity

Door clauses in rural town halls in Gard, particularly in the Cévennes. This is the action carried out since Tuesday and until Thursday, November 21 by nearly fifty municipalities in the department at the initiative of the association of rural mayors of Gard.

« There are actions throughout the national territory, mobilizations in front of the prefectures, there are around fifty town halls to close in the Gard. All these symbolic actions, I hope, will be heard by the government »explained its president Sylvain André, communist mayor of Cendras, on the France Bleu Gard Lozère channel. The massive budget cuts of at least 5 billion euros imposed on local authorities are « fewer public services, less investment in municipalities », summarizes the young mayor, elected in 2020.

The mayor of Gagnières, Olivier Martin, also president of the Cèze Cévennes community, explains why the administrative services of the town hall are closed: « If these choices [les coupes budgétaires] are confirmed, it is the optional skills of municipalities and intermunicipalities linked to culture, childhood and youth which would be sacrificed ».

In Hérault, the socialist president of the Department, Kléber Mesquida expressed his anger by specifying how much the actions of the community would be endangered by austerity. « New operations will not be launched ». Vice-President Cyril Meunier recalls that « 70 % of the Department's budget is imposed on operating expenses » increasing due to the number of social minimum beneficiaries. At the regional level, the president of the Occitanie Region, Carole Delga (PS), explains that if « the Regions will be responsible, we are asking for a fair and proportionate effort, this is not the case ».