The Urban Community of Marseille Provence Métropole (French: Communauté Urbaine Marseille Provence Métropole) is the intercommunal structure gathering the city of Marseilles (France) and some of its suburbs.

The Urban Community of Marseille Provence Métropole encompasses only a part of the metropolitan area of Marseilles (see infobox at Marseilles article for the metropolitan area) because the other independent communes of the metropolitan area (such as Aix-en-Provence) refused to join in with the city of Marseilles, which is perceived as poor and unruly by the wealthier suburbs. Other suburban communes (such as Aubagne, Gardanne , and Martigues) which are ruled by the French Communist Party have refused to join in with Marseilles which is ruled by the center-right UMP.

Consequently, the other parts of the metropolitan area have formed different intercommunal structures, such as:

• Community of Agglomeration of the Aix-en-Provence Country (Communauté d'agglomération du Pays d'Aix-en-Provence): 332,653 inhabitants
• Community of Agglomeration of Garlaban Huveaune Sainte-Baume (Communauté d'agglomération Garlaban Huveaune Sainte-Baume): 73,895 inhabitants, with Aubagne in it
• Community of Agglomeration of the West of the Étang de Berre (Communauté d'agglomération de l'Ouest de l'Étang de Berre): 65,637 inhabitants, with Martigues in it
• etc.

As of the beginning of 2005, some communes within the Urban Community of Marseille Provence Métropole are talking of seceding from the Urban Community, complaining of heavy taxes imposed by the city of Marseilles.

External links

• Urban Community of Marseille Provence Métropole website