Question 7982 — elected officials

Summary

Mr. Frank Giletti draws the attention of the Minister of Regional Planning and Decentralization to the unprecedented increase in the number of resignations of mayors during their mandate, a phenomenon which is lastingly weakening local democracy and citizen engagement. According to the latest study by the Observatory of Local Democracy (AMF-CEVIPOF, June 2025), 2,189 mayors have voluntarily left office since July 2020, or nearly 6% of mayors elected on that date. This figure marks a clear worsening of a structural dynamic to the extent that the average annual number of resignations has quadrupled in fifteen years (129/year between 2008 and 2014, compared to 417/year today), with a historic peak of 613 resignations in 2023. The phenomenon is now so massive that not a day goes by without a mayor resigning in France. Three causes main ones are identified. First, internal tensions within municipal councils, often between members of the same majority (30.9% of cases), which lead to cascading resignations and early elections, synonymous with local instability. Then, planned departures, often motivated by age or weariness, particularly in small towns, without a structured succession pool (13.7%). Finally, health reasons, physical (13.1%) or mental (5.1%), linked to excessive workload, isolation and psychological wear and tear, in a context of increasing legal responsibilities and poorly managed local pressures. The study shows that medium-sized municipalities (between 1,000 and 3,500 inhabitants) are particularly exposed to difficulties. Their mayors must manage complex responsibilities, but without having the technical means or sufficient humans to deal with it. Therefore, a quarter of the mayors who resigned came from these municipalities, which represents a high rate of 3.7%. Certain regions, such as Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or Île-de-France, are even more affected, with resignation rates exceeding 10%. This dynamic, if not stopped, could ultimately profoundly weaken the legitimacy of the municipal level. It also compromises the democratic renewal by dissuading vocations and fueling a climate of civic resignation, particularly in the most fragile territories. Also, the MP asks him what concrete measures the Government intends to take in the short term to secure, simplify and support the exercise of the mandate of mayor, particularly in small and medium-sized municipalities, whose human resources are structurally insufficient. He also asks whether the Government intends to integrate into the future text on the status of local elected officials new guarantees in terms of legal protection, psychological support and continuing training for mayors, in order to prevent departures for reasons of health or isolation and whether it is considering a reform of the functioning of municipal councils (resignation procedures, vacancy thresholds, governance internal) to better manage local crises and avoid chain resignations. Finally, he asks him if the ministry plans to improve statistical monitoring and knowledge of the causes of resignation of local elected officials, which are currently very incomplete, by making a summary statement of motivation mandatory in the event of departure during a mandate.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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