Renaud Muselier deploys “a social shield”
The president of the Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur unveiled a roadmap focused on proximity, making access to care and security a priority.
Far from mere protocol formulas, Renaud Muselier drew up the balance sheet of a decade of action while outlining the prospects of a future where “territorial justice” must no longer be an empty word. For the inhabitants of rural areas and the high country, often far from major cities, the Région stands as a social shield. OFFENSIVE AGAINST MEDICAL DESERTS The observation is shared by all rural mayors: the shortage of doctors is the number one anxiety of residents.
Renaud Muselier forcefully recalled: “The Région does not just make observations, it acts. With 126 health centers already open in the territory, the goal is to tightly cover every canton so that no one is left on the wayside of health. The year 2026 will see the opening of seven new structures of this type, reinforcing a system that has already proven its worth.”
He added: “In parallel, support for local hospitals remains a cornerstone of the mandate, with investments maintained in Fréjus, Draguignan, Brignoles, or even Manosque. To attract practitioners, the authority finances support for young general medicine interns during their internships in the region and directly assists doctors setting up in under-served areas.”
PREVENTION CLOSE TO HOME Social innovation is also coming to our country roads. Starting next April, a system will travel through rural areas: the “Mammobile”. “This mobile screening center, a true medical clinic on wheels, will offer free examinations, particularly for breast cancer screening, in continuity with the regional Plan Cancer.”
“This is a concrete response to the geographical isolation that too often hinders prevention among women living far from urban centers,” the president of the Région further detailed.
The protection of women remains a cross-cutting priority. While the Région has already supported 55,000 victims of family and sexist violence and distributed 1,000 “grave danger” buttons, the year 2026 marks the opening of a new Maison des femmes in Briançon. This resource center, dedicated to listening and multidisciplinary care, completes a network of twelve already certified houses in all departments.
Because health also relies on the ability to intervene quickly in a crisis, civil security is being reinforced. Renaud Muselier confirmed the upcoming inauguration of the SAMU Zonal: “This strategic equipment aims to improve emergency response coordination and the management of emergencies across the entire regional territory.” This “region of happiness” that the president calls for rests on a solid foundation of security, provided by the 1,000 regional guards deployed in transport and high schools, but also by unwavering support for law enforcement and firefighters, notably through infrastructure modernization.
These investments in health and safety are not expenses, but guarantees for the future. They shape a region that protects its residents, whether they live on the coast or in the heart of our villages.
STRATEGY IN THE FACE OF ARIDITY Furthermore, thanks to a massive investment policy, the irrigated agricultural land area has grown in the territory, despite endemic drought. “The Plan Or bleu for the preservation of water resources has allowed for a 15% increase in irrigated areas over 10 years,” Renaud Muselier hammered. This figure, far from insignificant, validates the strategy of the “1st 100% green budget in Europe” driven by the Région Sud.
Where other territories fall back, Provence resists. This water management is in line with the “COP d'avance”, ensuring that every credit voted by the local authority is directed towards environmental preservation. For farmers, securing access to water is not an option, but a matter of economic survival.
The year 2026 marks a decisive turning point with the official launch, next April, of work on the “Water Highway”, named the “Var Bleu” project. This titanic project aims to secure water supplies and strengthen the resilience of our territories in the face of shortages. It involves connecting networks to ensure no area is left behind, from rural villages to coastal market gardens.
This infrastructure is the keystone that will allow productive agriculture to be maintained in Var for decades to come. The schedule is set, and excavators will go into action in a few weeks.
Finally, 227 local agricultural products are now certified “100% valeurs du Sud”. The Région accompanied its producers to the 62nd edition of the Salon International de l'Agriculture in Paris, at the end of February.
Even more symbolic, Renaud Muselier will travel to the United Arab Emirates from December 2 to 4, 2026. There, he will present the “Plan Or Bleu” during the United Nations Water Conference in Dubai.
An international recognition that proves that the solutions found here, on the shores of the Mediterranean, can serve as a compass for the rest of the world in the face of the climate change urgent situations.
Photos Sébastien NOGIER - Région Sud.