Today this is no longer a choice it is a duty

Since the launch by the President of the Republic, last fall, development project overall Grand Paris, immediate danger is that this wonderful initiative transforms into debate on an institutional umbrella where the Grand Paris would only provide an additional layer. Yes the Grand Paris, but according to what governance The Grand Paris, it is first an idea, a vision. A vision of time and space to the serving more than 10 million "Great Paris". This is the reason for which the head of State wants, rightly, a strong, original and realistic project for Paris, a project for a great metropolis of the 21st century of post-Kyoto.

With the Grand Paris, our capital must first respond to the expectations and concerns of the Parisians great housing, employment, environment and transport, education and public services, finally social link. With the Grand Paris, the capital of the France must then register in a national context, and everyone knows the centralizing trends of our country. This is why we are convinced that the project of the greater Paris may be the opportunity to rethink our capital in terms of borders and identity.

But what are the limits of Paris with transit beyond the natural borders of the Parisian basin and ever more extensive urbanization And what is the identity of the capital, the common factor which unifies or distinguishes its inhabitants And well, this could be the Seine River to its mouth.

Yes, the Grand Paris across major European and especially global regions must have service and logistics infrastructures adapted to the land, air, River and maritime areas to reconcile development and environment. It said his ambition and naturally apply in the context of international competition. The priority, it is first to meet the economic challenge. It must promote the creation of wealth and jobs, by strengthening competitiveness, openness, attractiveness and the dynamism of the Grand Paris to cities such as London, Shanghai, Tokyo or New York. Our capital must then meet the environmental challenge by integrating the logic of sustainable development and the new world ecological situation, particularly in the field of transportation and major infrastructure. Today, this is no longer a choice, it is a duty.

Finally, it must meet the challenge of innovation by programming large architectural projects because they are sources of radiation while stimulating also Paris as intellectual capital through its major universities or its world renowned research centres. Yes, to do the Grand Paris, but this can only be emptying of its substance, which makes the heart. In the future pattern of the metropolitan area, the Paris of the 20 districts cannot be reduced to a museum-city or privileged residential city function. Yes, promote the Grand Paris, it's get priority growth double the average national for a true return to employment, generating new investment for the construction of housing, public transport and also meet the expectations of the Grenelle environment. Paris must take its share of this new economic growth and thus compensate for the weakness of the policies conducted by Bertrand Delanoë, and Jean-Paul Huchon. Promote the Grand Paris, is to defend Paris and its strengths: its economic vitality, its diverse residential service, academic, cultural and sporting activity. It is successful to embody and share for millions of great Parisians a new carrier identity creation, audacity and growth.