49

In France, the legitimacy of the department and the canton has been questioned since the day of their creation. They are known as being territorial limits imposed by the central government. They represent the Jacobin State at its best. Moreover, they are in competition with the territories (intercommunalities (EPCI) and pays), created and reinforced by the laws promulgated in 1995. However they are recognized by the population. They also represent the territorial model which marks the comportment with space of the local councilor. This paper shows how the councilor of a department builds these territories. Speeches of councilors, analyzed like self-fulfilling prophecies, give to the canton and the department an image of immutable territories. We analyze several indicators which show the effectiveness of the work of the councilor of the department in the construction of these territories. Initially we show the importance of the cantonal model in the delimitation of the EPCI. Then, we consider the respect of the departmental and regional limits in the construction of the EPCI and the pays. Finally, we look at the plurality of functions, which occurs when the department councilor is at the same time the President of EPCI, which transforms the territory of election (the canton) into the territory of action (the EPCI). Thus, the department councilor has the total control of the process of territorial construction and holds the legitimacy which guarantees the performance of its speech.