It is the reason why I put in place this mission

First in the Senate. (A) land. This approach is the last constitutional review, which provides that a session on four week is reserved by priority, in the order set by each Assembly to the control of the Government's action and evaluation of public policies.

This afternoon session will be marked by an interactive one-hour discussion between the senators, Michèle Alliot-Marie, Minister of the Interior, Alain Marleix, Secretary of State for local communities, and the members of the temporary mission of the Senate who, since last October, are working on land reform, at the same time to the Balladur Committee. The.

Two key points of divergence remain, one on the creation of territorial advisors, serving both in the departments and regions, the other on the place that should be in the future metropolis. Many fear through these new communities advocated by the Balladur report a questioning of the Commons.

What should be expected from the first debate of parliamentary initiative

I expect fed and spontaneous exchanges. For the first time, the Senate will debate a subject chosen by the Conference of Presidents, as now permitted by the Constitution. For more than an hour, senators may speak within the limit of 2 minutes 30, without be registered in advance. In the previous system, these interventions were limited by the time allotted to each group.

This debate will also allow to take the temperature and to identify the points of the reform that it will continue to deepen in the second phase of the Senatorial mission. A second debate is scheduled for the third week of may with a view on a final report. Its findings will feed a clear proposal, at the same time to the Bill.

What will be, in your opinion, the most discussed points tomorrow

There is convergence on everything that relates to the intermunicipal. But in regards to the cities, it still refine certain aspects. However I feel that is closer to a full community based volunteerism. If things seem to be going in the direction of a loss of the general jurisdiction clause communes concerned, as proposed by Michel Mercier, the debate is not resolved. The clarification of competences between departments and regions is to refine. I think the notion of leader on shared competence, to the general jurisdiction clause, whose maintenance is not certain. So far, much was made by the mission: exclusive competence building, Faculty of delegation of powers to local authorities, regulatory power in the departments and regions on their skills.

What do you think of the mode of conduct and the timetable for reform

I am very favourable to the principle of a framework law. Its first reading in the Senate, should intervene in the fall. Will be the laws of application, including the first, in my view, must be on the intermunicipal and should be addressed current 2010, if the framework law is passed in 2009. This is a subject that requires time. It is the reason why I put in place this mission. It was not, contrary to what I heard, a response to the establishment of the Balladur mission, which is a contribution to the debate. The municipality is the basic unit of the nation and remains the heart of territorial democracy. But he must also complete the intermunicipal and simplified in its mode of operation. The progress report fixed maturity to 2011 but this may be 2012.

How far will you take the Senate in this long consultation

It is necessary to interact and Exchange still more. There can be no progress by taking into account the reality of the field. The President of the mission, Claude Belot, like myself, are travel, meetings with departmental associations of mayors. The time of the reform could be 18 months, as for the reform of the hospital. But I have no illusions, there will be no convergence on everything. At a time, there is a majority that will discuss.