The richest department in France exceptionally renounces its vows ceremony, here’s why

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Save money at all costs… Even for the richest department in France. Hauts-de-Seine has decided to give up its traditional vows ceremony in 2025. This decision was motivated by “a constrained budgetary context which affects all departments”, explains the community. For the sake of “responsibility” and with the aim of “control of public spending”no speeches will be given on the occasion of the new year. No cocktail dinner, or petit fours either to celebrate the New Year.

Île-de-France also renounces its ceremony

While the vote on the budget for 2025 has been further delayed – the Bayrou government was unveiled on Monday December 23, 2024 – the local authorities are subject to a sharp drop in revenue from the state in the government project. In April, departmental elected officials voted for a “combat budget”. In fact, the department budget surplus reduce, going from 664 million in 2019 to 116 million euros in 2023.

For the year 2024, the community had recourse to borrowing from banks, for an amount of 433 million euros included in the budget. A situation has not occurred since almost 10 years. However, last October, the department adjusted its budget due to “the scissors effect” which he is confronted with.

Furthermore, the Hauts-de-Seine department is not not the only one to have taken this radical decision. The Île-de-France region will also not organize a greeting ceremony in 2025, its president, Valérie Pécresse, justifying this choice by the desire to want “hunt for all savings”.

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