The abolition of “public holidays specific to Alsace” is “not negotiable”, respond to the local authorities to the François Bayrou project

The European Community of Alsace (CEA, merger of the Departmental Councils of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin) amounted, Monday, August 11, against the prospect of a removal of the holidays specific to the old region, ensuring that “Local law is not negotiable”.

Prime Minister, François Bayrou, had proposed, on July 15, during the presentation of his plan for the 2026 budget, that “Two public holidays are deleted for the whole country”. He had cited Easter Monday and May 8, while saying himself “Ready to accept other ideas”. The measure would report, according to him, “Several billion” at the state budget.

“Easter Monday has no religious meaning”said the Prime Minister, when this date is a holiday in more than a hundred countries in the world. The May 8, considered the anniversary of the Allies’ victory in 1945, became a commemoration day in 1946, then a public holiday from 1953 until 1959. Twenty-three years later, in 1981, he regained his public character under the presidency of François Mitterrand.

In an orientation document unveiled on Sunday by the daily Les Echosthe government said they consider “Possible specifics” For Alsace, the Moselle and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, where the law of December 9, 1905 separating the Churches and the State does not apply.

“Alsace is abused”

“These statements, vague and ambiguous, arouse legitimate concern”noted the CEA in a press release, while Alsace, which is now part of the Grand-Est region, has two additional holidays on December 26 and Good Friday.

The CEA, whose assembly is the majority of the Republicans, sees the profile behind these announcements “The risk of a progressive dismantling of public holidays specific to Alsace” and an attack “The very foundations of local law”.

“For too long, Alsace has been abused”denounces the community. “This climate of contempt and distrust must stop. Local law is not a folk vestige or an anomaly to correct: it is a living pillar of our legal, historical and cultural identity. »»

Questioned by the agency France-Presse, the deputy of Haut-Rhin, Brigitte Klinkert (Renaissance), said that she had exchanged on Sunday by Texto with the Prime Minister, who assured him that he did not envisage any modification of the Alsatian holidays.

The CEA is nonetheless worried about the prospects for the abolition of the public holiday of 8-May. “This decision would be particularly unwelcome in Alsace, a region deeply bruised by the occupation, the de facto annexation and the dramas of the war”writes the community.