The planned redrawing of France's regional map to create bigger and, in theory, more powerful regions will lead to greater geographic inequality, an analysis by Mediapart has shown. The reform, approved in outline by French MPs on July 23rd, will cut the number of French regions from 22 to 13 by merging many of them into larger super-regions. The changes will mean that just three of the regions will share half of the country's wealth between them. At the same time smaller regions such as Brittany in west France and the Centre will be among the poorest. Other consequences include a larger elderly population for the new super-region based around Aquitaine in south-west France. Another key question which arises – and which is so far unanswered - is how can the reforms save the 12 billion to 25 billion euros that supporters claim, without cutting public services?
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