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ENERGY

French city to stop lighting up public buildings in order to save energy

Local authorities in northern France have announced that they will stop lighting up public buildings at night, in an attempt to reduce energy consumption.

Published: 2 September 2022 15:51 CEST
French city to stop lighting up public buildings in order to save energy
A picture taken on November 8, 2014 shows the grand place of Lille. AFP PHOTO/DENIS CHARLET (Photo by DENIS CHARLET / AFP)

In an effort to conserve energy, the city of Lille will stop lighting public buildings at night, except for the two emblematic squares in the city centre. 

Socialist mayor Martine Aubry made the announcement on France Bleu Nord on Friday. 

“We will turn off the lights in the city at night except in the Grand’Place and the Place de l’Opéra,” explained the mayor.

She added on Twitter that this step is the first announcement of the city’s ‘energy sobriety’ plan, and that the full plan would be announced in the coming days. 

In addition to the lights of public buildings being switched off, some fountains in the city will also be taken out of service in an attempt to water and reduce energy consumption. 

According to the mayor, the plan stands to save over 170,000 KW worth of the city’s annual energy consumption.

Public building lights will be switched off starting Monday, September 5th, but street lights will remain on.

The mayor also highlighted in her statement that the electrical consumption of lighting in Lille has been steadily reduced since 2004, in part thanks to an optimisation of power which involves dimming public lights by 30 percent between the hours of midnight and 6am.

Aubry’s announcement came as French President Emmanuel Macron convened the first meeting of the Energy Defence Council, which is set to review and respond to the country’s gas and electricity supply – including the risk of shortages – ahead of winter 2022.

All branches of government will be expected to make savings, while businesses are asked to prepare their own energy-saving plans by the end of September – it is expected that energy-saving measures for households will be voluntary.

The full government plan – which aims to cut France’s energy consumption by 10 percent in two years – is expected in October. 

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POLITICS

French PM says new government names will be revealed ‘before Sunday’

France's long-running political deadlock finally reached a conclusion on Thursday night as newly-appointed prime minister Michel Barnier travelled to the Presidential palace to present his new government.

Published: 19 September 2024 18:07 CEST
Updated: 20 September 2024 08:30 CEST
French PM says new government names will be revealed 'before Sunday'

Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s office said on Thursday that he would “go to the Elysée to propose to the president a government that is ready to serve France”.

After a meeting earlier on Thursday afternoon with the heads of political parties, Barner then travelled to the Elysée Palace on Thursday evening to meet president Emmanuel Macron.

Their meeting lasted for just under an hour and at the end journalists saw Macron showing Barnier out saying Merci beaucoup, à demain (thanks very much, see you tomorrow).

After the meeting, Barnier’s office said he had had a “constructive exchange” with the president and that the full list of names of the new ministers will be made public “before Sunday, after the usual checks have been made”.

French media reported that the full list of 38 names, of which 16 will be full minsters, includes seven ministers from Macron’s centrist group, two from fellow centrists MoDem and three from Barnier’s own party, the right-wing Les Républicains.

Listen to John Lichfield discussing the challenges that Barnier faces in the latest episode of the Talking France podcast – download here or listen on the link below

Barnier’s statement said that “after two weeks of intensive consultations with the different political groups” he has found the architecture of his new government, adding that his priorities would be to;

  • Improve the standard of living for the French and the workings of public services, especially schools and healthcare
  • Guarantee security, control immigration and improve integration
  • Encourage businesses and agriculture and build upon the economic attractiveness of France
  • Get public finances under control and reduce debt

France has been in a state of limbo ever since parliamentary elections in July produced a deadlock with no group coming close to winning enough seats for a majority.

A caretaker government remained in place over the summer while president Emmanuel Macron declared an ‘Olympics truce’.

He finally appointed the right-wing former minister and ex-Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on September 5th.

Barnier has spent the last two weeks in intense negotiations in his attempt to form a government that won’t immediately be brought down through a motion of no-confidence in parliament.

Numerous left-wing politicians are reported to have refused to serve in his government while several high-profile Macronists have also ruled themselves out, including long-serving finance minister Bruno Le Maire who last week announced that he was quitting politics.

The reported make up of the new government does not reflect the election result – in which the leftist Nouveau Front Populaire coalition came first, followed by Macron’s centrists with the far-right Rassemblement National in third – but Barnier’s hope is that enough MPs will support it to avoid an immediate motion de censure (vote of no confidence).

The government’s first task will be to prepare the 2025 budget, which is already a week late. France’s soaring budget deficit and threat of a downgrade from ratings agencies mean that it will be a tricky task with Barnier, who has prepared the ground for tax hikes by warning that the situation is ‘very serious’.

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