While the appointment of a Prime Minister is imminent and the hypothesis of a Gabriel Attal installed in Matignon holds the rope, the question of the new composition of the government arises. Should we expect a lot or a little change?
The time has come for change in Matignon and more broadly in government. After the resignation of Elisabeth Borne on Monday evening, the appointment of the new Prime Minister is expected this Tuesday, January 9, at the end of the morning. The hypothesis of the appointment of Gabriel Attal as head of government, which arose yesterday afternoon, leaves little doubt, according to the indiscretions of various sources close to the executive in the media. Even the opposition of the allied parties of the presidential majority, François Bayrou’s MoDem and Edouard Philippe’s Horizons, do not seem to have dissuaded Emmanuel Macron from his choice. But the identity of the new Prime Minister remains to be confirmed with the press release from the Elysée.
Who says new head of government, says new government team. And the composition of this must also be revealed in the hours or days to come. What is certain is that the members of the government must be appointed before the next Council of Ministers. If the latter is still scheduled for Wednesday January 10, a last minute postponement cannot be ruled out to settle the final details of the government casting.
A casting about which there are still few clues, unlike the name of the future Prime Minister. The speed of the cabinet reshuffle could be a sign of little change, but the new chief executive could bring surprises and propel other names into government.
Still taking into account the Gabriel Attal hypothesis, the promotion of certain members of the macronie such as deputies or other close advisors is possible. The minister, distantly from the left, could also, on advice or orders from Emmanuel Macron, extend a hand to the left wing of the Macron divided from the rest of the group since the vote on the immigration law. The reshuffle could ultimately be a matter of balancing reconciliation with the left wing and opening doors to the right in a logic of “at the same time” with which the head of state seems to want to continue his mandate.
All changes are possible, but a priori the chances that the heavyweights of the macronie like Bruno Le Maire in the Economy and Gérald Darmanin in the Interior, will be dismissed or move are low. Even when it is a wish on their part, since according to Politico the desires elsewhere of the “first cop of France”, who was eyeing the Quai d’Orsay, would not have been heard. It must be said that it is difficult to envisage change in these large portfolios in the run-up to the Paris Olympics, an event that some ministers have been working on for several months, even years. So status quo for Gérald Darmanin or Amélie Oudéa-Castera at Sports? Note that if it is indeed Gabriel Attal who is appointed to Matignon, the important Ministry of Education will be vacant and will have to find a new tenant.
Certain ministers have been described as being in an ejection seat since the first rumors of a reshuffle, notably those from the left wing nicknamed the “rebellious” who opposed all or part of the immigration law last December. Among them: Clément Beaune (Transport), Rima Abdul-Malak (Culture), Patrice Vergriete (Housing), Sylvie Retailleau (Higher Education) and Roland Lescure (Industry). The Ministry of Health managed interim by Agnès Firmin Le Bodo could also change tenants. Finally, the case of Olivier Dussopt at the Ministry of Labor raises questions since the man must be tried in his trial for favoritism on January 17.
The delegated ministers
Secretaries of State
