Mayors protest over funding cuts

HUNDREDS of local mayors took to the streets on Saturday in a series of protests against funding cuts imposed by France's central government.

Alain Juppé joined the demonstration in Bordeaux alongside about 200 mayors from the region. Marches were also organised in Pau, Montauban, Toulouse and Lille.

The Association des Maires de France says central government funding for local town and village halls will be slashed by €3.67billion a year by 2017, which the organisation describes as "unbearable".

The protest comes three months ahead of the regional elections in France.

The minister for state reform and decentralisation, Marylisse Lebranchu, said the cuts amounted to less than 2% of the total budget for communes.