Former mayor of Châteaudun, Fabien Verdier, has announced his ambitions for the 2027 presidential election. His political platform is based on transforming the relationship between the state and local authorities, improving the representation of local elected officials in the government, and reorganizing the healthcare system. With six initial, well-documented measures, he intends to place local communities at the heart of the presidential debate.
The 2027 presidential election is sparking new political ambitions, including among elected officials from local communities. Fabien Verdier, who led the municipality of Châteaudun in Eure-et-Loir from 2020 to 2026, is among those who have announced their candidacy. His platform, as outlined in a document published on September 26, 2026, on the Poligraph platform, focuses primarily on decentralization and the financial resources allocated to municipalities. The former mayor specifically aims to guarantee greater budgetary stability for local authorities, whose expenditures and responsibilities are a recurring source of tension with the central government.
At the heart of his plan is the general operating grant, the main financial allocation paid by the State to local authorities. Fabien Verdier proposes enshrining it in an organic law to ensure its permanence and limit budgetary uncertainties. He also wants to prevent any annual reduction in this grant, except within the framework of a national effort shared equitably with the State. According to this logic, local authorities should not bear financial restrictions that are proportionally greater than those decided at the national level.
A reform of local finances to strengthen municipalities
The candidate also advocates for the creation of a finance law specifically dedicated to local authorities. This proposal aims to provide greater transparency regarding the resources of municipalities, departments, and regions. Currently, local finances are largely determined by national budgetary decisions. With a dedicated law, Fabien Verdier intends to more clearly distinguish the State's financial commitments to local areas and enable local elected officials to better plan their investments. However, such a development would require clarifying its relationship with existing finance laws.
Another proposed measure is to allocate a variable portion of the overall operating grant to the direct financing of local investments. Local authorities could thus benefit from resources specifically earmarked for their infrastructure and development projects. The proposal could apply to public infrastructure, municipal facilities, and local services. However, the documented program does not yet specify the amounts under consideration, the allocation criteria, or the budgetary implications of this new arrangement.
Bring more mayors into the government
Fabien Verdier also wants to change the composition of the government. He proposes that 20% of its members be drawn from the mayors of sub-prefecture towns or their districts. The goal is to bring political leaders with direct experience in local executive positions into national leadership roles. This proposal reflects his desire to bring government decisions closer to the realities faced by small towns and rural areas, which are often less represented in national institutions than major metropolitan centers.
This reform would nevertheless raise several institutional questions. The appointment of government members currently falls under the purview of the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister , according to applicable constitutional provisions. Establishing a quota based on municipal experience would therefore require precisely defining the selection procedures and any necessary legal adjustments. It would also raise the question of the representation of other categories of elected officials, particularly departmental and regional councilors.
Health: abolish regional health agencies
In the healthcare sector, Fabien Verdier advocates for a significant transformation of the territorial organization. He proposes abolishing the Regional Health Agencies (ARS), which are responsible for guiding health policy in their regions and contributing to the organization of healthcare services. In their place, the former mayor of Châteaudun wants to give more responsibility to local elected officials. He believes that decisions concerning hospitals, healthcare professionals, and the needs of the population should be made as close as possible to the local communities.
This proposal comes amid significant regional disparities in access to healthcare. Hospital closures, difficulties in recruiting doctors, and medical deserts regularly fuel tensions between local elected officials and health authorities. However, abolishing the Regional Health Agencies (ARS) would entail a profound reorganization of the responsibilities currently held by these bodies, particularly regarding the management of health crises, funding, and the coordination of healthcare facilities. The precise details of this transfer remain to be defined.
A presidential ambition thwarted by the rules of the primary
Fabien Verdier's political career is rooted in a long history of experience in local government. A former regional councillor for the Centre-Val de Loire region, he led Châteaudun and the Grand Châteaudun inter-municipal authority between 2020 and 2026. He also held positions within the Socialist Party before leaving it in 2017. His current political commitment focuses on advocating for sub-prefecture towns, whose economic, administrative, and institutional influence he seeks to strengthen.
One important point to clarify, however, concerns his candidacy. Fabien Verdier announced on September 2, 2026, his intention to participate in the Socialist and Place Publique primary. Having failed to secure the necessary internal endorsements, he was ultimately unable to run. He subsequently called upon the selected candidates to adopt his proposals in favor of territorial justice. His platform therefore remains a topic of discussion in the political debate, but his actual participation in the 2027 presidential election is not yet confirmed.
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