France reforms territorial civil service career structures

A series of five decrees has introduced a significant reform to the French territorial civil service, aimed at aligning the career paths of territorial administrators with those of their state-level counterparts. Effective as of July 1, 2026, the reform reshapes the professional structure for senior management within municipalities, departments, and intercommunalities.

Key changes include a restructured grade system, modified step durations, and a new salary scale for territorial administrators. The reform also impacts various management roles: a new salary scale applies to administrative management positions in municipalities with fewer than 40,000 inhabitants, while a specific indemnity regime has been created for senior administrative roles in municipalities with more than 40,000 inhabitants. Additionally, the maximum duration for secondment to functional positions has been extended from five to six years to better align with the terms of local elected officials.