A capital of 7 million inhabitants, departments abolished... Planning chief Clément Beaune's ideas for transforming Paris

A high-ranking French official has put forward a bold proposal to reshape the governance of the Paris metropolitan area, suggesting the creation of a single administrative body to encompass the capital and its close suburbs. The plan, outlined by Clément Beaune, the High Commissioner for Planning, aims to streamline the complex administrative landscape of the region.

Currently, the Grand Paris area operates under a fragmented system. Beaune's proposal advocates for replacing this with a unified collectivity that would integrate Paris and the inner-ring suburbs (petite couronne). This institutional simplification, he argues, is crucial for more effective urban planning and management of a metropolis housing seven million inhabitants.

The proposal highlights a desire to overcome the current institutional divisions that may hinder strategic development and public service delivery. By consolidating power and administration, the plan seeks to enhance the overall functioning and competitiveness of Paris on the global stage, addressing long-standing challenges in metropolitan governance.