Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional council

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional council
Name	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional council
Established	2016
House type	Regional council
Members	204
Meeting place	Lyon

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes regional council is the deliberative assembly for the territorial collectivity created by the 2014 territorial reform that merged the former regions of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes into a single administrative entity. The council convenes in Lyon, the region's largest city and former capital of Rhône and hosts representatives from departments including Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal, Haute-Loire, Loire, Isère, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Ain, and Drôme. The body operates within the legal framework set by national statutes enacted under administrations such as the French Fifth Republic and in interaction with institutions like the Conseil d'État and the Cour des comptes.

History

The assembly emerged after debates in the French National Assembly and the Senate culminating in the map of regions that followed the 2014 territorial reform. The merger process involved prefects from Puy-de-Dôme and Rhône prefecture and consultations with municipal councils from cities like Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Chambéry, Villeurbanne, and Saint-Étienne. Early sessions addressed alignments of policies inherited from regional councils of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes, including legacy projects linked to Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Park, Lyon Part-Dieu redevelopment, and transport networks connected to TGV corridors and Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport.

Structure and Composition

The council is unicameral and composed of 204 councillors elected from territorial lists representing departments such as Ain, Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Isère, Loire, Drôme, Savoie, and Haute-Savoie. Internal bodies include a president, vice-presidents, standing committees mirroring portfolios like regional planning and transport, and delegations to entities such as regional agencies and economic partners including Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Lyon and regional university clusters around Université de Lyon, Université Clermont Auvergne, Grenoble Alpes University, and Université Savoie Mont Blanc.

Powers and Responsibilities

Statutory competences derive from national legislation implemented by administrations such as the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion. The council oversees regional planning linked to projects like Rhône-Alpes energy strategies and supports innovation networks including Minalogic, CEA Grenoble, Clermont Auvergne INP, and Institut polytechnique de Clermont-Auvergne. It administers transport authorities coordinating with operators like SNCF, Keolis, and infrastructure managed under frameworks involving European Union funding instruments such as the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund.

Political Leadership and Elections

Presidential leadership has been contested among parties represented in the council including The Republicans (France), Socialist Party, La République En Marche!, Europe Ecology – The Greens, and National Rally. Elections follow national timetables for regional polls decided by the Conseil d'État's interpretations and the Constitution of France. Campaigns have featured local figures from cities like Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, and Grenoble and policy debates connected to supranational concerns debated at forums such as the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions and the Assembly of European Regions.

Membership and Electoral System

Councillors are elected under a two-round list proportional system with a majority bonus regulated by laws enacted in the Assemblée nationale and interpreted by the Conseil constitutionnel. Departments serve as constituencies, with lists often including personalities from institutions such as Conseil départemental de la Haute-Savoie, Conseil départemental du Puy-de-Dôme, municipal leaders from Annecy, Vichy, and cultural figures associated with venues like Opéra national de Lyon and festivals such as Festival d'Avignon and Jazz à Vienne. Membership changes occur through resignations, incompatibility rules tied to mandates like membership in the European Parliament or mayorships in large communes.

Activities and Policies

The council develops policies on regional development, transport modernization projects linked to Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport, support for industrial clusters like Cluster Mont-Blanc Industries, and initiatives in research partnerships with CNRS, INRIA, Inserm, and CERN collaborations. It funds cultural institutions such as La Maison de la Danse (Lyon), heritage restoration projects including Château de Murol, and tourism promotion across the Massif Central and Alps coordinating with destination management bodies for Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Le Puy-en-Velay, and Annecy Lake. Environmental and energy programs interlink with actors like EDF, ENGIE, and regional parks including Vanoise National Park and Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Park.

Budget and Administration

Budgetary planning is developed annually by the executive and voted by the assembly, subject to audits by institutions like the Cour des comptes and financial oversight from the Prefect of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Revenues derive from regional taxation measures set within frameworks by the Ministry for the Economy and Finance, transfers from the State, and co-financing from the European Social Fund for employment and training programs executed alongside partners such as Pôle emploi, Chambéry Chamber of Commerce, and vocational networks tied to Université Grenoble Alpes. Administrative services are headquartered in Lyon and liaise with departmental prefectures, intercommunal structures like Métropole de Lyon, and national agencies.

Category:Politics of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes