Training of local elected officials, training organizations, and local government management

Practices, challenges, and perspectives

Resumo

The sector of training for local elected officials is highly regulated. Only organizations approved by the Ministry of the Interior on the advice of CNFEL - the National Council for the Training of Local Elected Officials - can provide training. As of September 27, 2018, there were 200 private or public organizations approved for the training of elected officials, such as universities, grandes écoles, associations, and consulting firms. For the elected official, it is a matter of understanding the functioning of an assembly, drafting a budget, speaking in public, using social networks, interacting with associations, and understanding new laws. For this, the elected official relies, among other things, on their experience, interpersonal skills, know-how, and exchanges of good practices with experienced officials. Each elected official also has the right to training, a right that has been strengthened by the legislature in recent years. Today, with the non-accumulation of mandates and the parity law, we see so-called novice officials taking office. Strong expectations are expressed by citizens, as seen in the "yellow vests crisis. In this communication, we propose a reflection on the effectiveness of training organizations and the ability of elected officials to meet these expectations.