The number of officials in the government’s sights

Reducing the number of civil servants, the track was mentioned Sunday by the Minister of the Economy and the Minister responsible for public accounts Amélie de Montchalin, for the 2026 budget … an explosive track.

The evocation of the reduction in the number of officials by two heavy goods vehicles from the government, Éric Lombard (On France Inter) and Amélie de Montchalin, set fire to the powder, Sunday June 8. The reaction was almost immediate: Force Ouvrière holds a conference on Tuesday morning to say its opposition to staff discounts. The CGT and the CFDT also accuse the blow.

By launching the idea of ​​reviewing the staff of civil servants, the government takes the risk of pointing the unions and opening a new social front, while the retirement conclave enters its final stretch.

To find 40 billion euros in savings for his 2026 budget, Éric Lombard said that the number of agents had to be started. And for good reason, today, France spends nearly 350 billion euros per year to pay all of its officials and public officials. The hypothesis of a reduction in the wage bill is supported by the Court of Auditors.

Between 1997 and 2022, the number of state -owned agents increased by 23%, while at the same time, the population, it only increased by 14%. In 2023, the public service had 5.8 million agents, 62,000 more than in 2022. We are therefore far from the promise of Emmanuel Macron of 2017 which, arriving at the Élysée, planned to suppress 120,000 jobs, 50,000 in the state public service and 70,000 in communities.

In recent years, the workforce has increased mainly in hospitals where, after the COVID, we have seen significant shortcomings. Besides, that’s the whole problem, the three public functions are very different, between state, communities, and hospital.

Éric Lombard is careful not to specify how many positions he plans to delete. As part of the preparation of the budget, the ministries must bring up their needs right now. Bercy puts pressure on them to revise their recruitments downwards, but also the revaluation of the wages of the agents.

The unions are already highlighting two arguments. Given the weakness of wages, and working conditions, it is rather difficult to attract talents, in education, to the Ministry of Justice. According to the CFDT, last year more than 10% of the positions in the state civil service alone, thus remained vacant, for lack of candidates. While the French are asking for more public services, it does not make sense to want to cut in the workforce. In short, the showdown started.