Paris (AFP)

Saved or suspended? The Minister of Ecology, François de Rugy, who remains determined to stand up to the attacks related to expensive feasts while he was president of the National Assembly, must face Tuesday the parliamentarians and try to calm a barely veiled discontent many bridges of LREM.

The number two government is first expected Tuesday afternoon when the government questions. "He is going to get screwed, everyone will go against him, and rightly," prophesies a member of the Republic on the march, who warns: "when we will be asked to applaud his answers, we will hide ".

In the early evening, it is before the senators that the minister will have to defend the bill "energy-climate", "but it would surprise me that the subject is put on the table during the debates", wants to reassure a minister .

In the entourage of the Minister of Ecology, it is limited to indicate that François de Rugy is "determined" to continue his work.

The revelations by Mediapart lavish dinners organized when he chaired the National Assembly, with lobsters and grand cru, work in his office housing department or his apartment near Nantes have however seriously weakened.

Summoned Thursday to Matignon, Mr. de Rugy has certainly managed to save his post, but Édouard Philippe asked the general secretariat of the government to carry out "an inspection". She was entrusted with the head of the mission of organizing the services of Prime Minister Virginie Aubard, to verify that the work undertaken complied with "compliance with the rules" and "the principle of exemplarity," said Matignon.

His conclusions are due at the end of the week.

Regarding the disputed dinners, François de Rugy said he was willing to submit to a "control authority of the National Assembly" the costs incurred and "to repay each euro disputed".

Defending himself all weekend, he said he met with the Ethics Officer of the National Assembly Saturday, the institution refuses, she, to communicate on the subject. In an interview at the JDD on Sunday, he repeated having done nothing "outside the nails" and was able to appear in line with President Macron during the parade of 14-July in Paris.

- "Duty of sobriety" -

The entourage of the minister has been active for a week, relaying all-round support and testimonials of guests at contentious dinners, such as a producer, Yasmina Nini-Falcon, who told AFP that the meal she attended was "far to be luxurious ".

But the project of a forum of support in the press initiated by his relatives, finally considered inopportune, was abandoned.

On Monday, Jack Azoulay was appointed to replace the sacked cabinet director, who claimed to have fired the minister.

In the ranks of The Republic in motion, many people fear that the episode will degenerate into a regrettable summer series at Benalla.

"Maybe behind these surveys, whatever the outcome, we will have to give ourselves even stricter rules on entertainment expenses, what are the limits," slipped Monday on LCI one of the secretaries of State of Mr. De Rugy, Emmanuelle Wargon.

MEP Nathalie Loiseau also called on France Inter "a duty of exemplarity" and "sobriety", especially after the crises of "yellow vests".

While many agree that what is blamed on the minister is neither illegal nor new, the practice is no longer accepted in public opinion. "Funny idea to put a picture with bottles," says a minister, who euphemized about the defense "clumsy" of his colleague, and fears "something that will follow us."

But it is especially among Macronist deputies that the growl is the strongest: "In constituency, it's horrible," says one of them, who regrets that the minister was not resigned "from the departure".

The interested party entrusted the JDD hope that the turbulence that it undergoes will finish "end of July". But, argues a parliamentarian LREM, "if it continues until next week, he will be forced to be disembarked". Without hiding that this is a wish shared by others.

© 2019 AFP