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| Departmental Council of Réunion | |
|---|---|
| Name | Departmental Council of Réunion |
| Native name | Conseil départemental de La Réunion |
| Established | 1946 |
| House type | Deliberative assembly |
| Seats | 50 |
| Leader1 type | President |
| Leader1 | (see Political Groups and Leadership) |
| Meeting place | Saint-Denis, Réunion |
| Website | (official site) |
Departmental Council of Réunion is the deliberative assembly of the French overseas department and region of Réunion. It exercises local authority within the framework of the French Republic and interacts with institutions such as the French Constitution, the National Assembly (France), the Senate (France), and the Conseil d'État (France). The council operates alongside the Regional Council of Réunion and coordinates with bodies like the Prefect of Réunion, the European Union, and agencies such as Agence française de développement.
The institution traces its roots to post-World War II reforms including the Loi de départementalisation and the 1946 integration of Réunion as an overseas department, paralleling developments in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Guyane. Early assemblies were influenced by figures connected to the French Fourth Republic, the Union for French Democracy, and the French Communist Party. Throughout the Fifth Republic, events such as the administrations of Charles de Gaulle, Georges Pompidou, and François Mitterrand shaped decentralization policies reflected in laws like the Defferre laws and the NOTRe law (2015), which redefined competences among territorial collectivities including departments, regions, and communes like Saint-Pierre, Réunion and Le Tampon. The council’s evolution was affected by crises including social movements in 2009 Réunion social unrest and economic responses during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic in Réunion.
The council is composed of departmental councillors elected from cantons such as Saint-Denis-1, Saint-André-3, and Saint-Paul-4. It mirrors structures used in metropolitan departments like Bouches-du-Rhône and overseas counterparts including Mayotte and French Guiana. Leadership positions include the President and multiple vice-presidents, analogous to roles in the General Council of Réunion (historical). Administrative support comes from the Prefecture of Réunion, the Conseil général historical records, and intercommunal bodies such as Communauté d'agglomération du Sud and the CIREST.
Statutory competences derive from national legislation including the Code général des collectivités territoriales and directives from the Conseil constitutionnel. The council manages social welfare programs aligned with Caisse d'allocations familiales, oversees departmental roads similar to policies in Ille-et-Vilaine, administers child protection services and allocations tied to the RSA (Revenu de solidarité active), and engages in cultural patronage comparable to initiatives by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée and the Direction régionale des affaires culturelles (DRAC). It coordinates disaster response with agencies like Météo-France and Sécurité civile (France), and interfaces with transport authorities involved with Roland Garros Airport and maritime ports linked to Port Réunion.
Members are elected under the binomial mixed system instituted by reforms such as the Law of May 17, 2013 that changed canton boundaries and parity rules, mirroring electoral changes affecting bodies like the Conseil départemental des Bouches-du-Rhône. Elections coincide with municipal and regional electoral calendars influenced by precedents in the French cantonal elections and administration by the Ministry of the Interior (France). Voting procedures follow protocols established by the Constitution of France and are subject to legal disputes adjudicated by the Conseil d'État (France) and the Cour de cassation when necessary.
Political composition reflects national movements including members from La République En Marche!, Les Républicains, Socialist Party (France), French Communist Party, and local forces such as Pour La Réunion and independents tied to figures who have engaged with the Assemblée nationale. Presidents of the council have had political trajectories interacting with personalities from the Senate (France) and regional executives like presidents of the Regional Council of Réunion. Leadership contests have been shaped by alliances akin to those seen in departments like Puy-de-Dôme and coalition negotiations involving unions such as the CGT and business federations like the MEDEF.
The council’s budgetary framework follows rules in the Code général des collectivités territoriales and accounting standards enforced by the Cour des comptes (France)]. Revenues include local taxes comparable to those levied in Hauts-de-Seine, state transfers from the Direction générale des collectivités locales (DGCL), and European funds administered via programmes like the European Regional Development Fund. Expenditure priorities cover infrastructure projects, social services, and educational equipment for collèges in Réunion, with procurement governed by the Code des marchés publics and audits overseen by the Prefecture of Réunion and national inspection bodies.
The council has sponsored infrastructure investments such as road upgrades across routes like the Route Nationale 1 (La Réunion), school construction initiatives for collèges, social housing projects paralleling efforts in Ile-de-France, and cultural programs collaborating with institutions like the Opéra de Paris and Musée du Quai Branly. Environmental and resilience projects address volcanic risk from Piton de la Fournaise and cyclone preparedness coordinated with Météo-France and the Sécurité civile (France). Economic development partnerships have linked the council with Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de La Réunion and national agencies including Agence française de développement to support sectors such as tourism tied to Cirque de Mafate and agribusiness connected to vanille de Bourbon production.
Category:Politics of Réunion