The fate of the Minister of Labor hangs on the verdict of his trial for “favoritism”, expected in mid-January, amid rumors of an imminent reshuffle.
Conjectures about a ministerial reshuffle are rife at the start of the year, revived by Emmanuel Macron’s decision to postpone the first council of ministers. Is the Elysée trying to gain time? In addition to the “new impetus” promised by the President of the Republic for this return to school, several ministers seem to be in the hot seat since they distanced themselves from the immigration law in December. But the case of Olivier Dussopt is special: the Minister of Labor, for his part, sees his political future suspended by the decision of a court.
Olivier Dussopt was tried at the end of November before the Paris criminal court for “complicity in favoritism”. The case concerns the award of a water management contract to the Saur group in 2009, while he was socialist deputy mayor of Annonay (Ardèche). If he were found guilty, Olivier Dussopt would have to resign from the government, according to the usual rule recalled by Elisabeth Borne at the beginning of October, on the eve of the trial of Minister of Justice Eric Dupont-Moretti. Therefore, it is difficult for the Elysée to initiate a reshuffle and decide on the outlines of a new government team before the verdict in this affair, scheduled for January 17.
The timing of this affair is still enough to embarrass the Elysée. Already, the file had been revealed by Médiapart in the middle of the debates on the pension reform project, last February. A hard blow for the minister who carried this widely controversial text.
Suspicions of favoritism are based on the report of an interview between Olivier Dussopt and the management of the Saur group some time before the award of the public contract. But also on two lithographs by the painter Gérard Garouste offered to the deputy mayor by the group’s management and never declared to the ethics officer of the National Assembly.
The outcome of the affair once again falls at the worst time for the Elysée, which may have to procrastinate. From now on, if there must be a reshuffle, Emmanuel Macron has the choice: he can wait for the verdict of the trial, or decide himself on the fate of his Minister of Labor even before the court decision. Even if it means biting your fingers a few weeks later.
