DOES FRANCE HAVE TOO MANY MUNICIPALITIES? [too cities in France?] ; LA FRANCE A-T-ELLE TROP DE COMMUNES ? [too cities in France?]
'France has as many municipalities as all other EU countries.' This frequently used formula serves as an argument for the implementation of systematic mergers of municipalities in France; their number (36 565 in metropolitan France) is a French exception penalising in the modern world. Is this quantitative argument relevant or is it a poncif? Answering this question involves looking at history, geography and making comparisons. ; International audience "France has as cities as all the other countries of the European Union." This formula is frequently used as an argument to wish the implementation of systematic mergers of municipalities of France ; their number (36,565 in France) would indeed be detrimental French exception in the modern world. This quantitative argument is it relevant or is it a cliche? Answering this question involves considering the history, geography, and comparisons. ; 'France has as many municipalities as all other EU countries.' This frequently used formula serves as an argument for the implementation of systematic mergers of municipalities in France; their number (36 565 in metropolitan France) is a French exception penalising in the modern world. Is this quantitative argument relevant or is it a poncif? Answering this question involves looking at history, geography and making comparisons. ; "La France compte autant de communes que l'ensemble des autres pays de l'Union européenne." Cette formule fréquemment usitée sert d'argument pour souhaiter la mise en œuvre de fusions systématiques des communes de France ; leur nombre (36 565 en métropole) serait en effet une exception française pénalisante dans le monde moderne. Cet argument quantitatif est-il pertinent ou s'agit-il d'un poncif ? Répondre à cette question suppose de considérer l'histoire, la géographie, et d'effectuer des comparaisons.