this suggests that some functions should be transferred at the European level, with the attendant political responsibility and accountability, ie elections. But we face the same problem that national politicians do not want to relinquish any of their powers.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

I totally agree with you. That's the reason why Attali's proposal to get rid of the départements was doomed to fail: to many politicians are opposed to this reform.

The only way to achieve such a reform is to empower the regions and the communities of municipalities (like urban communities or "pays"). One way to do so would be to elect the executive bodies of these communities through universal suffrage. Taken in a "pincer" between two local authorities with a greater democratic legitimacy, the département would slowly fade away.

This reform was proposed in the first draft of the "Chevènement law", but it was dropped due to an intense lobbying of the conseillers généraux (elected representatives of the départements). The Socialist Party didn't have the political guts to maintain it.

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

I'm not that sure people understand how communautés de communes work all that well. And particularly, that during the campaign, the programs really point out what will happen among the communauté half as much as what will happen within the commune.

The small commune as a social relationship utility ; the scale of a few hundred to a few thousand people gives rise to a useful political entity, which should see its role in very local matters clearly delineated with those of the communauté. For example, this a proper scale at which to introduce direct and/or participative democracy. Quartier administration in larger Municipalities could have that role.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères