France is divided into several different local authorities: regions, counties (“départements”), cities, metropolitan areas, etc.
Since the 1980s, the French State has progressively transferred many powers to local authorities in order for them to be able to manage certain public policies while taking into account the needs and expectations of local inhabitants. This “decentralisation” led to the development of the local civil service.
Today, each type of authority carries out public service initiatives with clearly established purviews: culture, education, sport, transport, urban planning, social action, economic development, etc. They each contribute in providing public services in a defined territory.
For more informations :
• https://barometre-reformes.eu/en/france/
• https://portal.cor.europa.eu/divisionpowers/Pages/France-Introduction.aspx
The French civil service
The French civil service employs 5.6 million people. It is the first French employer, representing one fifth of the working population.
It is composed of the State civil service, the local civil service and the health civil service. Civil servants participate daily in the quality of public services, in the general interest of all.
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the State civil service consists of all civil servants working for the State. These civil servants work in central administrations (ministries), for local State bodies (prefectures, local boards of education, institutions connected to ministries, etc.), in educational establishments (universities, high schools, etc.), in the army, etc.
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the Health civil service consists of civil servants working in public healthcare services, maily employees of hospitals and public healthcare establishments. It primarily employs healthcare staff (doctors, nurses, etc.).
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the Local civil service consists of civil servants that work in all levels of local authorities: regions, counties (“départements”), cities, metropolitan areas, etc.
The local civil service
The local civil service includes all civil servants from local authorities and public bodies who work alongside local elected officials and for local citizens. They cover a wide variety of jobs in order to deal with all local public services : over 250 different jobs are categorised within the nearly 2 million agents of the French local civil service.
