Strasbourg’s new mayor, Catherine Trautmann, has described the city’s financial situation as "serious," "heavy," "worrying," and "urgent," citing an audit that revealed a significant increase in debt during the previous administration. Trautmann, a socialist who won the March election against outgoing ecologist Jeanne Barseghian, expressed strong disapproval of the findings, calling it the most extreme financial situation she has encountered in her 40 years of political experience. The audit, conducted by the accounting firm Deloitte, found that Strasbourg’s debt has more than doubled, surpassing 250 million euros. Loïc Muller, a Deloitte representative, described the city’s financial health as "very degraded." He estimated that Strasbourg would need to secure between 35 and 40 million euros in operating funds by 2027-2028 to stabilize its finances, while the larger Eurometropolis region would require an additional 45 million euros. Trautmann has outlined her priorities as reducing the city’s debt, regaining financial savings, and creating more flexibility in budget planning. She has not yet announced any plans to cancel or delay major projects, though she admitted there is uncertainty about whether large-scale initiatives can be financed within the current political term. A budget orientation debate is scheduled for January, with a final vote expected in March, according to Trautmann’s first deputy, Mathieu Cahn. In response, the group "Strasbourg juste et vivante," linked to outgoing mayor Jeanne Barseghian, stated on social media that the previous administration used borrowed funds to support the city’s ecological transition and daily public services. This statement highlights the differing perspectives on how the city’s financial decisions were managed during the prior administration.