The institution of proximity: the arrondissements in the municipal government of Paris, Marseille and Lyon since 1983.

Summary The law of 31/12/1982, known as the "P.M.L. law," established elected mayors and councils in the arrondissements of Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, giving them an essentially consultative role and little management capacity. The purpose of this research is to study the implementation of the reform in the three cities and the emergence of a level of political representation and public management at the infra-communal level. While the three mayors initially tried to minimize the impact of the reform on municipal government, this thesis highlights a process of institutionalization of the borough, fueled by a set of dynamics: the quest for legitimacy and capacity for action by the elected officials investing in the newly instituted level; the evolution of the modalities of public action in favor of greater recognition of the role of the sub-municipal level; and the emancipation of the borough, which is tending to become a political space in its own right.