The political tug-of-war continues. While the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin asked the town hall to "requisition" garbage collectors in order to evacuate garbage, the City of Paris refuses him. The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo "does not have the power" to requisition the garbage collectors on strike against the pension reform and "does not intend to ask" the State to act in this direction, she responded on Wednesday.

On Tuesday evening, the ninth day of the renewable strike, some 7,000 tons of garbage littered the sidewalks of the capital. "Gérald Darmanin informed the mayor of his intention to lift the blockades and requisition the strikers, knowing that the city does not have the power to do so," said the entourage of the elected socialist to AFP.


"The town hall holds the health police"

If the town hall "does not follow up on the requisition, the State will substitute" to evacuate the garbage, explains one in the entourage of Gérald Darmanin. In a letter on Tuesday, the police prefecture stresses, based on the General Code of Territorial Collectivities, that "the town hall holds the health police on the public road".

"As such, it is its competence to request a private company or requisition agents for the execution of the mission of removal of garbage and garbage," adds the prefecture which can "in a second time" put the City on notice to do so. If this procedure "remains unsuccessful, the prefect of police can replace" the town hall, "in case of emergency when the observed or foreseeable attack on good order, health, public safety requires it," adds the prefecture.

Requests for targeted requisitions

The assessment of the situation in terms of public health and sanitation is the responsibility of the Regional Health Agency (ARS), "State service competent in the matter," says the prefecture.

"That the State assumes its responsibilities," said Tuesday the first deputy (PS) Emmanuel Grégoire, according to which the government "creates a social crisis and requires local authorities to request a requisition". "Are they asking all mayors to requisition? To Edouard Philippe? ", former Prime Minister of Emmanuel Macron and mayor of Le Havre, a city also affected by the strike of garbage collectors, he had noted to underline the political nature of the showdown.

  • Ile
  • Paris
  • Rubbish
  • Garbage
  • Dustbin
  • Strike
  • Pension reform 2023