Nicolas Sarkozy’s former Minister of Justice, Rachida Dati, has been appointed Minister of Culture in the Attal government. His appointment arouses distrust among professionals in the field.
In the space of seven years, five Ministers of Culture will have succeeded one another on Rue de Valois, under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron. Like her predecessors, Rima Abdul Malak was dismissed after barely two years in office. The world of culture says it is tired of these constant changes and wishes for more stability to advance the major projects that concern their field. “This waltz is terrible, you have to start all over again every time, it’s a waste of time and it shows that culture is a kind of rattle,” laments Pascal Rogard, general director of the Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers (SACD ) in comments reported by Le Monde. Same story with the general director of the Civil Society of Multimedia Authors (SCAM), Hervé Rony: “What ambition to change every two years at best? We can fundamentally question the president’s interest in this sector .” In addition to the annoyance of seeing new ministers constantly succeed one another, professionals in the world of culture react to the surprise appointment of Rachida Dati.
The appointment of Rachida Dati to the Ministry of Culture arouses many reactions of distrust. The former Minister of Justice of Nicolas Sarkozy (2007-2009) and mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris, since 2008, is not perceived as mastering cultural issues. His assets, rue de Valois, will above all be his energy, his political influence and his high media coverage which will allow him to place his ministry at the center of conversations. “Rachida Dati has no knowledge or particular interest in the issue, while 2024 will be the year in which the States General of Information must culminate,” noted the economist Julia Cagé, at the head of the association “A bout of the media”. The secretary general of the SNJ-CGT and journalist at Prisma, Emmanuel Vire, said he was “surprised at first glance”: “Rachida Dati has never shown an appetite for the cultural and audiovisual fields.”
But his appointment also raises many fears about the independence of the media. Julia Cagé said she was “desperate” at this announcement which represents a “declaration of war on all those who fight for the independence of the media”. Rima Abdul Malak took a position against the show Touche pas à mon poste, by Cyril Hanouna, on C8, the channel of the very influential Vincent Bolloré. Emmanuel Vire also said he was “worried”: “We know the links between Rachida Dati and Nicolas Sarkozy, but also those of Nicolas Sarkozy with Vincent Bolloré.”
On the side of cultural professionals, the director of the Syndicat des Musiques Actuelles, Aurélie Hannedouche, was perplexed: “It’s a huge surprise,” she explained to HuffPost. Indeed, there has been speculation in recent days, but really his name had absolutely never come up. In whatever discussions there were, we were not at all aware of his predilection for culture. So we will judge on his actions.” A surprise “that no one saw coming”, also according to Richard Patry of the Federation of French Cinemas. Surprise also for Caroline Verdu, director of the national private theater union. However, the union representative contacted by BFMTV seems to give the new minister a chance: “Rachida Dati is a committed, pugnacious, present woman, who does not give in and in reality I think that in Culture we need that. We need to be heard, to be supported, to be considered.”
During the transfer of power on Friday January 12, the new Minister of Culture said she understood that her appointment “may come as a surprise.” Before adding: “It doesn’t surprise me. It responds to a real need: the need of France, which is often said to be popular, sometimes with a little contempt, I must say, which must feel represented .”