Pierre-André Durand, the new prefect of Occitanie, settles in Toulouse
While Etienne Guyot leaves Toulouse to be appointed prefect of New Aquitaine in Bordeaux, Pierre-André Durand takes office on the eve of demonstrations against pension reform.
Pierre-André Durand, new prefect of the Occitanie and Haute-Garonne region, took office yesterday during a ceremony at the Resistance monument in Toulouse. “I have served France in many regions including overseas but I do not know Occitanie, not Haute-Garonne and not Toulouse but I am correcting this lack of taste today! joked the new prefect.
Two months of meetings throughout the region
A native of Antibes in the Alpes-Maritimes, Pierre-André Durand is embarking on “two intensive months” to make contact with all the major elected officials, parliamentarians and associations of mayors, State services, the socio-economic world and agriculture and prepares visits to each of the thirteen departments of the Occitanie region. A graduate of the ENA in 1991 (Gambetta promotion), Pierre-André Durand said he chose the prefectural for his “interest of the territories”. Apart from a quick stint at Bercy in 2010 as chief of staff to the Minister of Industry at the time, Christian Estrosi, he has spent his entire career in the regions.
“A perfect continuity of the State”
Posing as the representative of the government and the Prime Minister in Occitania, the prefect intends to guarantee “continuity of state action” carried out until then by his predecessor Etienne Guyot, now in post in Bordeaux. High-speed lines, the Toulouse-Castres motorway… there is no shortage of files. “Étienne Guyot in New Aquitaine will be a helping element on the LGV” he slipped. As for the demonstrations against the pension reform on Tuesday, “they must take place in good order” he warned.