French President Emmanuel Macron had asked for 100 days of reconciliation to revive his mandate and set a clear path for the future, following the protests provoked by the pension reform. The deadline expired last week, on the national holiday, and a government reshuffle has since been expected, finally arriving this Thursday. But it was less than expected, with the post of all heavyweights continuing after it was announced early this week that Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne would not be leaving.
“To ensure stability and groundwork, the president decided to keep the prime minister”, sources close to the French head of state announced Monday, indicating changes would be in place by the end of the week. According to the French media, Macron advocated a small renovation, in contrast to Borne, who wanted more changes.
Ultimately, the changes appear in the Education, Health, Solidarity and Overseas Territories and Service portfolios, political scientist Bruno Cautres told AFP, for Macron “to get rid of ministers who underperformed or who did not want to leave”. In summary, this reshuffle “does not send a strong political message”. It remains to be seen if the changes – eight exits, eight entries and three map changes – will be enough.
In Education, academic Pap Ndiaye (the first black minister in this portfolio) leaves and former government spokesman Gabriel Attal (who, at 34, will be the youngest to hold this position) enters. In Health, former trade union leader and president of the French emergency services François Braun makes way for Aurélien Rousseau, former Director General of Health in the Paris region during covid-19 and Borne’s chief of staff until now. The other two changes, at the ministerial level, concern the accession of Aurore Bergé, hitherto chairman of Macron’s parliamentary group in the Renaissance and one of its main supporters, to Solidarity. And Deputy Philippe Vigier for Overseas Territories.
Marlene Schiappa, Secretary of State for Social Economy and Community Life, is leaving government following a scandal involving a support fund for associations fighting hate speech in a previous legislature (when she held the Citizenship portfolio) and after posing for Playboy amid protests against pension reforms.
Source: DN
