2023-11-19 17:16:55
Published on Nov. 19, 2023 at 1:26 p.m. Updated on Nov. 19, 2023 at 6:16 p.m.
The State draws inspiration from the business world. The rise of teleworking and flex office having pushed the private sector to reduce the number of square meters occupied by white-collar workers, ministries and multiple administrations could also seek to make substantial savings by reducing their real estate footprint. In an interview with “La Tribune Dimanche”, Bruno Le Maire and Thomas Cazenave, respectively ministers of the Economy and Public Accounts, specify that the State could in particular relaunch an asset sale plan to contribute to the reduction of debt in the accounts. of the nation.
For Thomas Cazenave, we must “reduce the surface area occupied by the administration by 25%”. “It’s a real lever for sobriety, particularly given new forms of work,” he explains. The ratio of surface area per public agent is today 24 square meters, much higher than that of the private sector. We want to reduce it to 16 square meters.”
“La Tribune” underlines that “the real estate assets of the State and public organizations are gigantic”. 99 million square meters, 191,000 occupied buildings and 30,000 plots of land, specifies the Bercy website. Impossible for the State, which manages prisons, courts, museums and hospitals, to sell a major part of its assets. Especially in a context of crisis in the real estate market, the timing is not particularly well chosen. But real sources of savings and sales can be envisaged in purely administrative activities and the various offices.
Public broadcasting, in Bercy’s sights
In this interview with “La Tribune Dimanche” , ministers discuss other avenues for savings. As part of the new spending reviews, Bercy is considering 12 billion euros in savings for the 2025 budget. “There will be no immunity, all ministers will be concerned,” underlines Thomas Cazenave. Bercy confirms the leads revealed last week by “Les Echos”. In Bercy’s crosshairs, Thomas Cazenave lists in particular public broadcasting, housing, “the maquis of social assistance and their payment methods” and decentralization, which he wants “clearer”.
On the reduction in aid to businesses, “we are going to look at everything”, specifies Thomas Cazenave, adding: “There is optimization and simplification work to be done in this area”. Which “does not mean renouncing the supply-side policy, favorable to businesses”, tempers Bruno Le Maire.
Despite unemployment which is regaining ground, the Minister of Finance assures that it is possible to meet the objective of 5% unemployment rate in 2025, but “not with a constant social model”. He calls for “a reflection on our social model, in particular unemployment insurance” and wants all the compensation schemes which fuel unemployment among seniors to be “reviewed”.
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