Le droit de l’aide et de l’action sociales à l’épreuve de «l’acte II de la décentralisation»

Benefit and welfare action laws tested against «decentralisation, act II ». New decentralisation statutes enacted in 2003 are drawing a new portrait of welfare and benefits by promoting the department as the «leader » of the policy. The authors analyse the transfer of skills in terms of both content and consequences, of which there are many : legal consequences with the new definition of responsibilities, but also in terms of organisation given the transfer from national to departmental (i. e., local) services. Such consequences also lead to new positions being adopted by political authorities, as the department is promoted to a «welfare department » with ramifications at political, financial and philosophical level. The very definition of aid and welfare law is currently being tested.