The préfet sets a course of "resilience and ambition" for the Var

For his first New Year wishes ceremony to local figures, seven months after taking office, and before an audience of elected officials, military personnel, and economic decision-makers, the State representative immediately set the scene for a pivotal year. Defining himself as a "préfet of action," Simon Babre stressed the need to combine "rapid action and forward planning" to meet the challenges of a changing territory.

CLIMATE CHALLENGE

The first major focus of this speech was on adaptation to natural hazards. After a year 2025 marked by tragedies – including the May floods that claimed three lives – and around a hundred weather alert episodes, he called for "shifting gears." To this end, the State is investing heavily, with €104 million committed to the five ongoing flood prevention programs (PAPI). But the préfet warned: Faced with the violence of these phenomena, protection has its limits. He confirmed the acceleration of relocation procedures for threatened homes, citing the 44 houses of the Floralies housing estate in Fréjus and the Cavald'Or building in Cavalière, Le Lavandou. Regarding wildfires (180 fire outbreaks in the summer of 2025), firmness is also required regarding Legal Brush-Clearing Obligations (OLD), reinforced by a new préfectoral decree last October.

NO BLIND SPOT WHEN IT COMES TO SECURITY

On the security front, he welcomed the results achieved with an 8% drop in burglaries in 2025. The fight against drug trafficking remains an absolute priority, with an administrative harassment strategy that led to "40 appearance bans" and "the closure of 4 businesses." The préfet also emphasized the fight against fraud and "cabanisation" (illegal building on agricultural or natural land), described as a "major scourge." Thanks to the law simplifying urban planning law, fines of up to €30,000 can be ordered administratively to penalize illegal constructions. Finally, the préfet stressed the dynamism of a department with rapid population growth (+0.9% growth). The year 2026 will be marked by preparations for the arrival of the next-generation aircraft carrier in Toulon, a colossal project looking ahead to 2038 that implies a "supply shock in terms of school demographics, training, and mobility." The State continues to invest heavily to support this momentum, as €177 million was paid to public entities in the Var in 2025 for key structural projects such as the Ligne Nouvelle Provence Côte d'Azur (LNPCA) or the new Naval Group drone factory in La Londe-les-Maures. In conclusion, Simon Babre paid a warm tribute to mayors, "pillars of local action," in this upcoming election year, promising the mobilization of State services to ensure the smooth running of the future polls. •