How to combat medical deserts? The government unveiled its plan on Friday, during François Bayrou's trip to Cantal. At the heart of the debate is the burning issue of doctors' freedom to practice, with some unions planning strikes and demonstrations starting April 28.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by Ministers Catherine Vautrin (Labor, Health, Solidarity), Yannick Neuder (Health), Philippe Baptiste (Higher Education) and Françoise Gatel (Rurality), will visit the Calvinet health center, in the commune of Puycapel (Cantal), where he will speak with health professionals.
François Bayrou will then give a press conference at midday, before meeting with the mayors of the department.
Accessibility "to general practitioners will deteriorate between 2022 and 2023", due to "the decline in the number" of private practitioners combined with "population growth", noted the Directorate for Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (Drees) at the end of 2024.
Consequence: at the national level, in 2024, 35% of those surveyed "gave up treatment due to lack of appointments", compared to 27% in 2023, according to a study carried out by UFC-Que Choisir.
A particularly affected area, the Cantal department has gone from 160.6 general practitioners per 100,000 inhabitants in 2010 to 139.4 in 2025, according to the National Council of the Order of Physicians.
On April 1, before the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, Mr. Bayrou expressed his support for "regulating" the establishment of doctors to combat medical deserts.
But in the National Assembly, the government opposed a provision of a cross-party bill to regulate the establishment of doctors. The key article was nevertheless adopted in early April at the Palais Bourbon, and the rest of the bill is scheduled for consideration in early May.
This text has provoked anger among private physicians, medical students, interns, and junior doctors. Lucas Poittevin, president of the National Association of Medical Students of France (ANEMF), called on April 16 for "an unlimited national inter-union strike starting April 28."
Anti-regulation protests are planned across France for April 29, while junior doctors have called for a tough strike, closing their surgeries starting April 28.
Most unions representing independent doctors are not in favor of such an extreme measure. MG France, the majority union among independent doctors, simply suggests "closing the practices of those present at the April 29 demonstration."
At the same time, a text presented by Senator (Les Républicains) Philippe Mouiller, president of the Social Affairs Committee, is to be examined by the Upper House from May 12.
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