Right-Wing Majority in Lyon Cuts Key Social Welfare Program RSJ

Lyon Métropole, now governed by a right-wing majority, has announced significant cutbacks to its social welfare policies, most notably the planned elimination of the revenu de solidarité jeune (RSJ) program. This flagship initiative, praised under former Ecologist leadership, is set to end on October 31, following a council decision on September 28. The RSJ had been a critical part of Lyon's social support system.

The social welfare budget represented a substantial portion of the Métropole's finances—1.2 billion euros annually out of nearly four billion euros total. The decision to scrap the RSJ has raised strong concerns among social sector stakeholders about the future of social aid and hospitality policies in Lyon.

Renaud Payre, former vice-president for housing and current co-president of the opposition group Écologistes et apparentés, sharply criticized the right-wing majority’s approach. He argued that their actions reveal a profound misunderstanding of poverty issues and represent a regression to outdated right-wing attitudes that oppose social assistance.

This policy shift marks a clear departure from previous administrations’ commitments to social welfare in the city and sets a precedent for how the right-wing majority intends to govern Lyon’s social policies moving forward.