Presentation of the Conseil Général
To explore Anjou, is to choose a voyage in a region of surprising diversity, steeped in history and open to modernity. Listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO, for its Loire River banks, our département attracts many tourists from France and abroad.
The Conseil Général (départemental council) is an assembly elected by the inhabitants of Maine-et-Loire by direct universal suffrage. It has an elected representative for each of its 41 cantons. Its role is to make the major decisions on which the life and future of the Département depend.
The Conseil Général meets every quarter for a public session. The 41 councillors debate and vote credits, master plans and set up policies in their domain but also in other sectors contributing to or of interest to the département.
The Conseil Général is the driving force behind major projects of the future, such as Terra Botanica, the large botanical park, Anjou-Actiparc, particularly attractive business parks, broadband connections linking rural communities or electronic administration.
Since 2004, Christophe Béchu has been the President of the Conseil Général of Maine-et-Loire. To carry out his task, he is surrounded by 10 vice-presidents, each with competence in a particular area of action. He also manages the départemental administration which currently employs nearly 3,000 “territorial officials”.
The Conseil Général of Maine-et-Loire has its seat at the Hôtel du Département, in the old St. Aubin Abbey, in Angers. It has been established in these premises since its creation in 1790.
