The new Minister of Culture has left the presidency of her opposition group at the Council of Paris. Already, his succession is looming.
Upon arriving at the Ministry of Culture, Rachida Dati said she wanted to retain the presidency of her opposition group at the Paris Council. But the new minister finally preferred to give up this post on Tuesday January 16, according to information from Le Figaro. The one which is also threatened with an exclusion procedure from the Les Républicains party therefore leaves the group of elected representatives from the right and the center “Changer Paris” orphaned. Already, the next generation is being sought.
Senator Francis Szpiner, former mayor of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, brought together elected officials from his district on Monday evening to discuss replacing Dati, according to information from Politico. He pleaded for the appointment of senator LR Catherine Dumas, already vice-president of the group. But among the elected officials, not all had yet accepted the departure of their boss and some still hoped she would stay.
Rachida Dati’s entourage justified her decision to leave her post as a necessary adjustment to reconcile her activities in the government and the Council of Paris. If, according to Le Figaro, Catherine Dumas is in the front line to replace her, the elected officials of the 7th arrondissement have indicated their intention to present other candidates.
As for whether Rachida Dati will still be able to claim LR’s support for the 2026 municipal elections, nothing seems decided yet: “In two years, when the question arises of who is the best candidate to ensure alternation in Paris, we will see if Ms. Dati’s participation in this government has become an obstacle or an asset,” Francis Szpiner said on France Culture. But for the senator from Paris, to whom Politico also attributes ambitions in these municipal elections, the mayor of the 7th arrondissement “made a political error”.
