Op-ed by Patrice Schoch, lecturer at EDC Paris Business School: “2026 municipal budgets: smart frugality, or how to govern without waste”
In March 2026, the adoption of the State budget imposed a drastic cut of 2 to 5 billion euros for municipalities. In an op-ed published in Opinion Internationale, Patrice Schoch, lecturer and researcher at EDC Paris Business School and specialist in competitive intelligence and territorial governance, explains that to overcome these budget cuts, cities must anticipate residents' reactions before launching a project. According to his analysis, reforms often fail because citizens' conflicting expectations are overlooked: the same individual may approve a measure for environmental reasons but reject it if it complicates their life as a worker or parent. By understanding these obstacles upstream, municipalities can adapt their projects to gain acceptance, thereby avoiding delays and unforeseen costs.