Montbéliard

My brothers and I grew up in the little district of Montbéliard, the historic birthplace of Peugeot automobiles. Their factories provided work for my father, my grandfathers and my brothers. France's leading industrial region, Bourgogne-Franche Comté is still reeling from the economic crises of the 1970s and 2000s and the deindustrialization that followed. This town that depend on the economic health of the company that now calls itself « Stellantis"* face growing development and attractiveness challenges. All are doing their best to resist relocation. The town of Montbéliard seems desertified, the city center is in decline, young people are bored and older people cling to memories of a bygone era when the Peugeot punctuated every aspect of local life. 

Today, the local factory is a single assembly line. The merger between the PSA group and Fiat Christler has propelled Carlos Tavares, the CEO of PSA, to the helm of Stellantis and its fourteen car brands. The offshoring of administrative choices is moving away from social and societal issues in the Montbéliard region. 

What's left to repair the inequalities caused by the Peugeot industrials choices? 

My mother, who work as a social worker in the Petite Hollande district, and her colleges are one of the only means of countering the growing social inequalities in the Montbéliard region.

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