More than 150 years after its last major administrative modification, Paris could once again absorb part of its suburbs. The High Commission for Strategy and Planning (Haut-Commissariat à la Stratégie et au Plan) has published a note, signed by former minister Clément Beaune, proposing a radical overhaul of the capital’s administrative structure. The document advocates for the merger of Paris with three inner suburban departments: Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne, to create a unified entity called the “Ville du Grand Paris” (Greater Paris City).
A Unified “Greater Paris City” to Address Institutional Inefficiency
The core idea behind this proposal is to eliminate the Boulevard Périphérique as an administrative boundary and simplify what is described as an inefficient “territorial mille-feuille.” This new administrative body would bring together nearly 7 million residents and be subdivided into 40 districts, each with approximately 170,000 inhabitants, largely following existing communal borders.
The institution, tasked with informing public policy on major societal issues, highlights a critical observation: “For 150 years, Paris has not expanded beyond its walls, an enclosure now materialized by the Boulevard Périphérique.” The last significant change to the capital’s administrative limits dates back to 1859, with the creation of the current twenty arrondissements. Since then, Paris has seen a decline in its population since the mid-20th century, while its agglomeration continues to grow around it.
This growth has led to a situation where the capital region, according to the report’s authors, is characterized by an “ineffective territorial mille-feuille.” A recent example cited is the Métropole du Grand Paris, established in 2016 to coordinate Paris and 130 surrounding communes, which has suffered from “structural dysfunctions,” as noted by the Court of Auditors in 2023.
Dissolving Departments and Creating 40 Districts
To address this diagnosis, the authors propose a straightforward solution: abolish the three inner suburban departments, dissolve the Métropole du Grand Paris, and merge everything with Paris to create a new collectivity of 6.92 million inhabitants. This new “Greater Paris City” would then be divided into 40 “districts.”
The names of these districts would also be changed. Moving away from the purely numerical logic of current arrondissements, the High Commission suggests renaming them to reflect the social and cultural diversity of the metropolis, with names such as “Montmartre,” “Bastille,” “Brie française,” or “Bassin cristolien.”
A Three-Tiered Administrative Structure
The proposed administrative architecture for this new collectivity would be three-tiered:
- Districts: These would handle local competencies such as schools, sanitation, and municipal police.
- Greater Paris City: This level would manage broader responsibilities, including social action, colleges, and urban planning.
- Île-de-France Region: This region would largely retain its current powers, covering areas like transport, high schools, and economic development.
A “Mayor of Greater Paris” would be elected by universal suffrage, providing them with “electoral legitimacy and power of action across the entire territory.” A “Council of Greater Paris,” akin to a municipal council, with representatives from the 40 districts, would ensure “equitable representation of territories and guarantee political plurality at the metropolitan level.”
Challenges and Prospects for 2027 Elections
The authors acknowledge that such a significant undertaking “requires a national choice, strong state involvement, because it affects all of France.” They emphasize that the proposal should be “prepared, nurtured, and debated ahead of the 2027 elections” (presidential and legislative). The question remains whether the numerous declared candidates will embrace this topic.
This ambitious plan aims to streamline governance, foster a more cohesive metropolitan identity, and improve the efficiency of public services across the Greater Paris area, potentially reshaping the administrative landscape of the French capital for generations to come.
Source: https://www.tf1info.fr/politique/grand-paris-fusion-de-communes-creation-de-districts-la-proposition-radicale-du-haut-commissariat-au-plan-pour-agrandir-la-capitale-2445359.html
