A symptomatic testimony of the current political crisis that France is going through. The new Minister Delegate for Rural Affairs, Michel Fournier, tells BFMTV that he learned “on Sunday afternoon” of his appointment from Sébastien Lecornu while watching television.
He explains that “he discussed two days before” with the head of government, but without him officially announcing his appointment. Asked about his reaction to such news, known under these conditions, Michel Fournier contented himself with a laconic “well, there you have it” at the BFMTV microphone. “My wife was very interested because she was watching a movie on another television,” he continues wryly.
“Working in Paris never attracted me”
President since 2020 of the association of rural mayors of France, which brings together nearly 13,500 municipalities, Michel Fournier is a councilor of Voivres, a town of less than 300 inhabitants in the Vosges. His new position is under the authority of the Minister of Regional Planning and Decentralization, Françoise Gatel.
To our colleagues at Vosges Matin, he tells us “that he was more surprised to be mayor of Voivres than to be a minister.”
“People are very nice, very simple. But ‘hello, Mr. Minister,’ I hear it 40 or 50 times a day,” he said a few days after taking office, admitting in passing that “working in Paris never attracted him.”
How long will Michel Fournier remain in office? This Thursday morning, deputies examine two motions of censure that could overthrow Sébastien Lecornu and his government.
Source: BFM TV
