Christelle Morançais hits hard on culture and announces 100 job cuts in the Region and 100 million euros in savings

She makes the announcements. After declaring that she wanted to reduce the cultural budget by more than 70% and make 100 million savings while the State only asked for 40 million, the president of Pays de la Loire wants to cut 100 positions in the region by the end of the mandate.

“We are stuck on public subsidies”she doesn't mince her words and she doesn't take it lightly. Christelle Morançais makes a series of sensational announcements, even if it means making her opponents jump a little more each day.

Last decision and not the least, the elimination of 100 positions in the region.

“I brought together the staff of the regional headquarters to announce to them a difficult decision, but one that I consider essential in the face of the budgetary crisis that our country is going through: by the end of our mandate, 100 positions will not be replaced within our management, i.e. the equivalent of 10% of our workforce. There will be no forced departure. explains the regional president on the “X” network.

“Politics is about making choices, even if they are painful: we choose to refocus on our priority skills and projects and to make operational savings to preserve our capacity to invest essentially : our jobs, the future of our youth, the transitions of our economy”she justifies.

A choice that François de Rugy, elected by the presidential majority within the “Democrats and Progressives” group, understands perfectly. “That does not surprise me that we are announcing a reduction in the number of territorial agents, civil servants in the region, because when we want to save money, inevitably, at a given moment, we still have to look at what we call the payroll, which has increased by 60 million euros over the last ten years, and the number of territorial agents has increased by 500 in eight years”, he insists.

The announcement is the non-replacement of retirements. It's not about layoffs, it's not about terminating contract positions. Talking about a social plan, I find it a little shocking to those who really live a social plan

Francois De Rugy

Regional advisor for the “Democrats and Progressives” group, presidential majority.

A measure if it were applied which would come back “to an internal social plan” for Lucie Etonno, president of the “Ecology Together” group in the region.

“Christelle Morançais is the only regional president to announce in such a brutal manner the elimination of positions and non-renewal by the end of the mandate. So, it will weaken the region's services and you should know that the Pays de la Loire region, it is one of the regions which already has the fewest agents per inhabitant. So, we are on a reduced workforce. Pto make public policies work, to invest intelligently in the territory, you need men and women to examine the files.”

It is a total weakening of public services and a destruction of jobs internally and externally.

Lucie Etonno

President of the Ecology Together group

Mahaut Bertu, elected within the “Printemps des Pays de la Loire” group, is also worried about employment.

10% of the head office workforce is truly unprecedented, obviously. It's terrible.

“If the services dedicated to supporting associations close tomorrow, This means that we no longer have a contact person, in addition to no longer having funding. Because there, we are moving towards structures which will have 0 euros of subsidy. SO yes, that means structures that will have to close or make redundancies, and without having a contact person in the region to respond to their concerns. It's dramatic! “she laments.

For the elected official on the left, other efforts had to be made, particularly in terms of ceremonial expenses “exorbitant”.

“Today, the choice that is made, adds Mahaut Bertuis to abandon the structures and their projects to promote everything from the angle of communication in the region. When we're going to give up tomorrow local missions, job fairs in the territories, to keep only the big bang of employment, that is to say an event where the great flag of the region, a Ferris wheel, comes out. Why do it? And that can be applied to all public policies,In sport, it's the same. We are separating from the departmental cycling tours that have been taking place for years to take a tour of the Pays de la Loire with large displays of the region.”

A bluster which for the opposition regional councilor is expensive and serves no other purpose than to shine. “We're just talking about communication. Clearly, we would have made different choices. We would have removed from the regional com to promote local stakeholders and their jobs. That’s for sure!” she says.

Gathered in the hall of the regional hotel this Tuesday, November 19, certain civil servants turned their backs on Christelle Morançais in protest. It must be said that the decision is unprecedented and would reduce the workforce by 10%. But could it make a difference at a time when already suffocated communities are being forced by the government to tighten their belts even more? The president of Pays de la Loire seems to want to set an example. Very zealous, she promises 100 million euros in savings where the State only asks for 40 million.

Politics is about making choices, even if they are painful: we choose to refocus on our priority skills and projects and to make savings in operations to preserve our capacity to invest in the essentials: our jobs, the future of our youth, the transitions of our economy

Christelle Morançais, president of the Pays de la Loire region

Network post “X”

In the president's sights, the cultural sector which must, she says, “reinvent yourself.” The forecast: severe cuts of 73% for the sector. The crazy day and the Laval festival “Le chainonmissant” thus learned that they would no longer receive any subsidies. If the big events should survive, what about the smaller structures and their survival?

How do I experience it personally? I didn't believe it at first, because it seemed so big, enormous! It's more than a missile that she sends in the face to us, the actors of culture

Pierre Roba

Actor and member of the national performing arts union

“La Folle jour, the missing Chainon festival, from the biggest to the smallest cultural events, everyone benefited at some point donated money from local authorities to organize ourselves, to offer a cultural offer to residents. And so that’s all that’s going to be toast.”adds Pierre Bedouet, actor and member of the French performing artists’ union-CGT.

For these players in the sector, the consequences could be dramatic.

50% of theater companies, dance companies and music groups will disappear

Pierre Roba

Actor, member of the national union of performing arts

This model called into question by Christelle Morançais “was created under Malraux”recalls Pierre Roba. “It is the intersection of public funding, State, local authorities, cities. Today, the show makes a living from that, but because it is of general interest. We intervene, we artists and technicians everywhere, in schools, in middle schools, high schools, across all territories. Din the smallest town in France, there is a cultural manifestation. It is of general interest. SIf this lady doesn't know what that means, we will explain to him what the construction of the individual is through the liberation of one's imagination.

In such a context, the socialist Guillaume Garot and the ecologist Lucie Etonno are calling for the postponement of the next budgetary session.

It is irresponsible to rush to vote on the 2025 budget

Guillaume Garrot (PS), Lucie Etonno (The Ecologists)

Joint press release

“During the session last October, I already asked for the postponement of the orientation debate budgetary”recalls Guillaume Garot, president of the Printemps des Pays de la Loire group. This debate took place just after the declarations made by the president to reduce the community's operating budget by 100 million euros. We were presented with a fait accompli, without debate, without dialogue,” he continues.

“A set of actors are currently informed of the amount of the budget cuts the
concerning”, notes for her part, Lucie Etonno, president of the L’Écologie Ensemble group. “Everyone is in shock and does not see how they will be able to complete their 2025 financial year”, concludes the chosen one. “We reject this brutal, irresponsible timetable and ask for time for dialogue.”

For the progressive elected representatives of the presidential majority, “the Region and cultural stakeholders must work together in search of a balanced budget, evaluate their impacts and propose innovative objectives that match those of the Region (professional training, ecological transition, economic attractiveness, etc.). Whatever the political color, each community will have to make choices painful which will not spare the cultural sector. Irresponsibility would be to exacerbate anger, to refuse to face reality and to postpone decisions, even difficult ones”he concludes.

At the call of cultural stakeholders, a gathering is planned for Monday, November 25 in front of the regional hotel.

Christelle Morançais, unreachable for the moment, has not yet communicated officially, she should speak in the coming days. By clearly positioning herself as the guarantor of the balance of public funds, the president of Pays de la Loire shows her color and her ambitions for 2027: to put herself at the service of Édouard Philippe, boss of Horizons and declared candidate for the future presidential.