A petition was launched in late January 2026 to gather support from social and solidarity economy (SSE) stakeholders across France. The idea is to take advantage of the municipal elections, which will be held in March 2026, to shine a light on the social and solidarity economy (SSE) ecosystem and highlight its challenges, as professionals are on high alert—the very survival of the SSE sector could even be at stake.

An Ecosystem on the Brink

With one month to go before the municipal elections, a coalition of nonprofit organizations is calling on the public to support actors in the social and solidarity economy (SSE). Indeed, the 2026 municipal elections represent an opportunity to highlight the challenges facing this sector due to a lack of funding, economic insecurity, volatility, and instability.

Using these local elections as an opportunity to raise awareness among elected officials about the challenges faced by social economy actors is crucial for the sector’s future: «Youth, early childhood, social integration, solidarity, health… these are all socially beneficial projects that risk disappearing without strong support,» UDES leaders state on their social media channels.

Mobilize Martinican elected officials

Environmental issues are a key topic in these municipal elections, and candidates must address them. «While successive budget cuts are undermining the nonprofit sector, municipalities have an even more important role to play; for the most part, they are the primary source of public support for nonprofit organizations. Our future will therefore be decided during the upcoming municipal elections,» emphasize the organizers of the petition.

Mobilizing all social and solidarity economy (SSE) stakeholders in the region can serve as a catalyst for improving the working conditions of SSE professionals in Martinique. «The 2026 municipal elections can provide some breathing room. They can allow municipalities to reaffirm a simple choice: to support those who bring their communities to life, rather than letting them burn out,» they explain. They add:

«Supporting us means supporting everyday life. Supporting us means supporting our residents. Supporting us means supporting our communities.»

In the overseas territories and departments, as in the rest of France, the survival of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) ecosystem will be decided in the coming months and years. Without a significant turnaround, this sector—which is so beneficial to the region—risks disappearing.