For several weeks and the last urban riots which followed the death of Nahel in Nanterre, the urban policy of the State has been attacked by certain elected officials and politicians. Some believe that too much money is spent on working-class neighborhoods. The last spade comes from the new secretary of the City Sabrina Agresti-Roubache, who, in the first JDD under the direction of Grégoire Lejeune, declared that “the policy of the check book is over, it does not work. […] “. Former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen denounced “billions poured into city politics with zero results”.
In an interview given on Wednesday to France Inter, the president of the National Agency for Urban Renewal (Anru) Catherine Vautrin defended herself from these criticisms. “We are helping to improve the living conditions of five million inhabitants in the neighborhoods”, assured Catherine Vautrin.
“These neighborhoods generate activity”
In addition, the president of Anru defended the policy of social transfers in these districts: “If we look at the notion of ”too much money” in the districts, I will take a single figure. that of social transfers. On average, in the political districts of the city in which 7% of the population live, social transfers represent 6,100 euros per year on average. Elsewhere in mainland France, we are at 6,800 euros. »
Faced with criticism, she holds up an example: “the department of Seine-Saint-Denis is the third poorest in France, but the eighth contributor in terms of social security contributions. These neighborhoods generate activity. »