Jacques Serais / Photo credit: PASCAL LACHENAUD / AFP
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7:15 p.m., June 15, 2023
On the move in Vienne, Elisabeth Borne announces a set of measures to present her “France Ruralités” plan. The objective is to revitalize the countryside, while nearly 20,000 municipalities have no trade and more than 30% of the population lives in a medical desert.
How to revitalize rural communities? This is the question that the Prime Minister is currently considering, on the move to Vienne. To fight against medical deserts and ensure the presence of shops in the city center, Elisabeth Borne takes out the checkbook. A new program will be launched to help small municipalities carry out their project. “Villages of the future”, the name of the program, will be endowed with 15 million euros.
The State also undertakes to release funds for transport. 90 million euros spread over three years will be used to help local authorities deploy mobility services. Matignon wants “innovative and supportive” services to reduce dependence on the car. As a reminder, 20,000 municipalities have no trade. To change this, Elisabeth Borne arbitrated that the implementation projects be supported. An envelope of 36 million euros over three years is promised.
100 new “medical buses”
Faced with medical deserts, Matignon made a rather surprising bet and announced the launch of 100 “medical buses” staffed by specialists. Buses that will travel where it is most difficult to access, explains the entourage of the Prime Minister. Elisabeth Borne also promises that the number of multidisciplinary health centers will double, from 700 to 1,400 centers throughout the territory.
So many announcements to combat the feeling of decline of public services which dominates in certain rural areas. These also allow Elisabeth Borne to step up to the front on the front of the political scene, while the rumors of a reshuffle are becoming more and more pressing.