French official calls for reforms to make public services more effective

Ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election, senior civil servants are putting forward ideas for changing how the state works.

Alexandre Pointier, a senior official who has worked in government, sets out his proposals in a book published in October.

He argues that the state struggles to deliver on its promises, not because public servants are at fault but because the conditions for effective government have weakened.

Pointier says recent measures such as performance indicators, budget adjustments and digitising public services have not fixed the problem.

He argues that reform debates should look beyond how much the state spends or does and focus on how public action can produce results in people’s daily lives.

The book adds to discussion of how France should govern differently, but the excerpt gives no details of what action may follow.