Le chantier de la future ligne de tramway de Montpellier fait partie des grands travaux dans la région, dont bénéficient les entreprises de travaux publics. Midi Libre – GIACOMO ITALIANO
Olivier Giorgiucci, president of the Regional Federation of Public Works (FRTP Occitanie), questions the investment capacities of local authorities, which represent between 70% and 75% of contracting authorities.
He may well announce his intentions, namely “try not to give in to the ambient catastrophism and decline”. Nothing can be done: regional public works companies are waiting at the start of the year and their president for Occitanie, Olivier Giorgiucci, is the perfect person to make this known.
Certainly, as he sums up, “in 2024, activity was correct, in a very depressed construction context”. Last year was “quite good” because “the needs for maintenance and renewal of infrastructure have supported our work”. But, as he recalled, “2024 is the penultimate year of the municipal mandate”.
The “lack of visibility” for businesses
A timely reminder: “usually, this is a period of full activity to deliver projects”. But this is not the case. And for 2025, this coming year that will see citizens called to the polls for the municipal elections, it is still the dominant concern. The cause: “the lack of visibility” for regional public works companies.
“Our companies have a few days to a few weeks of order books”, he explained. In the Pyrénées-Orientales, the drought has caused damage. And not just in terms of the environment. “We have been faced with disorders linked to the lack of water”, insisted Jean-Christophe Nierga, departmental president. “It is time today to relaunch the policy of major works”, he added, turning to local elected officials.
“The fog came from Paris”
Because it is to them that public works companies turn. Towards local and territorial authorities, which represent between 70% and 75% of the clients. Even if, as Olivier Giorgiucci points out, “this year, the fog came from Paris”, with the political crisis. A fog “particularly thick”, with “very low visibility”.
Of course, there are budgetary constraints. “We don't know how they will evolve”, nor how “the various measures to support local government investment” will evolve. The uncertainty generating “a blockage of decisions”. A certain number of structuring operations being “on hold”. “Communities are the primary market for public works, with the maintenance and renewal of networks and infrastructures”, the regional president nevertheless insisted on reminding us.
2026, election year: the fear of the much-feared void
In the Pyrénées-Orientales, the hundred or so public works companies generated a turnover of 320 million euros last year. They employ between 2,000 and 2,500 employees. And even if Jean-Christophe Nierga does not hesitate to say that the companies in his department “have always found ways to survive”, the concern is palpable.
Local elected officials called upon
Staying on course for investment is what local elected officials are promising. “Equipment needs remain the priority”, for example, is assured by the City of Perpignan. President of Nîmes Métropole, Franck Proust recalls that his community invested 54 million euros in public works in 2024. “This will be roughly the same volume in 2025. The envelopes will be stable, including for 2026”. As for Edmond Jorda, president of the Association of Mayors, Deputies and the Intercommunality of the Pyrénées-Orientales, he promised that “the public procurement observatory is expected to provide more visibility in the medium term”. Same promise made by Christophe Rivenq, president of Alès Agglomeration: “There will be work on the Alès agglomeration”, he assured during the wishes of the FRTP of Gard. He points out that the Aggl’eau project provides for more than 200 million euros of multi-year investment.
“Of course, we need to reduce public deficits, Olivier Giorgiucci agrees, but be careful, cutting investment as a priority instead of making difficult decisions on operations doesn't solve anything”. He hopes to find “in a few days, a few weeks”, “national budgetary orientations and decisions, which will at least allow the ecological transition projects to continue”. Even if 2026, the year of the municipal elections, everyone is aware that it will be the year of the great void so dreaded.