The president of the Finistère departmental council, Maël de Calan, is summoned to appear on March 30 before the Brest criminal court, alongside Romain Chantelot, director of Employment, Integration and Housing of the department, according to claims. The CGT and six RSA recipients denounced on Wednesday 'repeated acts of moral harassment' by Mr. Chantelot.
They accuse Mr. de Calan, president of the department since 2021, of having 'provoked and facilitated' these acts. The hearing on the merits should take place before early 2027, according to CGT lawyer Franck Carpentier.
Franck Carpentier estimates that the local authority has implemented against RSA recipients an 'institutional moral harassment', similar to what existed at France Télécom in the 2000s. Contacted by AFP, Mr. de Calan criticized in a statement 'abusive and politicized attacks'.
'We are guilty of having defrauded even before being checked, even before showing the documents'
He stated, 'What they are attacking is the strict application of the law. The department denounces this misuse of the law, and will ask for the condemnation of the claimants for abusive procedure'. In four years, the number of RSA recipients in Finistère has gone from 18,000 to 13,500, the result of a policy aimed at 'getting people back to work', Mr.
de Calan explained to AFP in January. Two-thirds of this decrease in the number of recipients is due to 'a return to employment', according to him. The department has saved 20 million euros thanks to this policy, which allows funding for a 'disability plan', points out this former McKinsey consultant, a supporter of Edouard Philippe for the 2027 presidential election.
This emblematic policy of the departmental majority is strongly criticized by the left-wing opposition and several associations. In June 2025, about twenty protesters disrupted a session of the departmental council to demand an end to the 'massive controls' of RSA beneficiaries. Alerted, Ludovic Morin, general secretary of the CGT of Finistère, says he met several recipients and was struck by their 'poignant and revealing testimonies'.
'It's not a life choice to live on RSA'
He stated, 'In this department, we are on the backs of recipients and we don't let go anymore'. Gisèle (pseudonym), a 44-year-old farmer, testified during a press conference. She said, 'We are guilty of having defrauded even before being checked, even before showing the documents'.
She also stated, 'It's not a life choice to live on RSA'. The case highlights a broader national debate about welfare controls and the balance between fiscal responsibility and the dignity of beneficiaries. The upcoming court appearance on March 30 marks a formal legal escalation of a conflict that has been simmering for years, with the department's policy facing increasing scrutiny and protest.
The outcome could set a precedent for how similar policies are evaluated under French law, particularly in light of the recent legal recognition of institutional harassment. The department's defense rests on its reported success in reducing beneficiary numbers and reallocating funds, while the plaintiffs argue that the methods used to achieve those results are unlawful and harmful. The legal proceedings are expected to examine detailed evidence from both sides, including testimonies from RSA recipients and departmental records.
This expansion adds context to the ongoing dispute, emphasizing the personal impacts and policy implications at stake.