Recovery plan: Jean Castex coaxes the regions

"A historic agreement".

Jean Castex does not go by four ways when signing what his entourage even qualifies as "reconciliation with the regions".

Monday, September 28 in the afternoon, no less than twelve regional presidents gathered around the table in Matignon to sign this partnership agreement whose investment envelope was reassessed by 10 billion euros, i.e. a total of 40 billion euros for the revival of the economy over the next two years in the territories.

Everyone is well aware that he has come a long way.

In June, an indiscretion after a lunch between Renaud Muselier, president of Regions of France, and Emmanuel Macron had created trouble.

It reported pressure from the Head of State to postpone the regional elections - scheduled for March 2021 - after the 2022 presidential election, in exchange for financial compensation.

The case had caused a real uproar.

A few days later, Edouard Philippe for his part froze discussions around compensation measures linked to the effort made by the regions in the health crisis linked to the Covid-19 epidemic.

“Philippe was mean.

Suddenly, Castex seems nice ”

“The tone changed after the end of the inadmissibility of Edouard Philippe in June.

This time Jean Castex listened to us, we are entering a much more positive stage, ”greeted Carole Delga, PS president of the Occitanie region, after this agreement.

“Edouard Philippe was nasty.

So, suddenly, Castex seems nice, ”rebounds a close friend of the president of Hauts-de-France, Xavier Bertrand.

In Matignon, we savor this small political victory.

"There is a before and an after Castex in the matter", goes even an adviser to the Prime Minister.

“It's a winner for everyone.

For Castex, which is close to the regions, and for the regions, which benefit from a little financial oxygen ”, analyzes the entourage of President LR of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Laurent Wauquiez.

An ecumenism that does not prevent vigilance: “There is listening but, afterwards, implementation is not acquired.

Piloting the president of a region-prefect of a region supposes that the prefects really have control over the credits and I have the feeling that the technocracy of Bercy wants to keep it, ”fears Hervé Morin, president of Normandy.

“We will be very vigilant so that these announcements are followed up.

We are really expecting a real commitment from the announced credits, ”says Carole Delga.