- Propelled Minister of Health at the start of the coronavirus epidemic, Olivier Véran took flight managing the health crisis.
- Blamed for the lack of masks intended for doctors and city carers, he had to come under criticism.
- But judged good communicator and voluntary, he should be assured to keep his ministry in case of reshuffle, which could be announced by the head of state after the second round of municipal elections.
Will stay ? Will not stay? As a turbulent second round of municipal elections looms, where LREM is expected to post fairly poor scores, rumors of a cabinet reshuffle are rife. In early July, the head of state could announce changes in the composition of his government.
And in the midst of this looming political storm, it is perhaps the latest comer who could fare well. Appointed Minister of Health on February 16 to replace Agnes Buzyn, herself catapulted into one weekend in the race for Paris City Hall after the "Benjamin Griveaux Gate", the discreet Olivier Véran has established himself as one of the political figures of recent months, taking on his new functions as minister as the crisis in Covid-19 broke out in France.
"The antithesis of Buzyn the bourgeois"
Upon his appointment, "we expected a lot from him, because he embodies the antithesis of Agnes Buzyn, the bourgeois technocrat from the medical elite, says Dr. Jérôme Marty, general practitioner and president of the French Union for free medicine (UFML). Unlike her, he remained a doctor close to the field. ” Because before being deputy of Isère then minister, the Grenoblois Olivier Véran is first neurologist, and made his weapons at the CHU of Grenoble. Chosen by Emmanuel Macron to build the health component of his presidential program alongside Jérôme Salomon, the current director general of health, the ex-socialist who became a walker is elected general rapporteur of the Social Affairs Committee to the Assembly, and notably defends the experimentation with therapeutic cannabis. “He is a provincial and a recognized doctor. His career path makes him a minister who masters his files, who knows what he is talking about, ”analyzes Jocelyn Raude, teacher-researcher in social psychology at the School of Advanced Studies in Public Health (EHESP) and specialist in emerging infectious diseases. Described as "a ball of nerves" and a "hard worker" by his entourage, Olivier Véran the ambitious likes to be in action. Expected to be Minister of Health in 2017, it was finally Agnès Buzyn who put it on the post. Before reluctantly giving up his place to him less than three years later.
When he was appointed minister in February, the virus made only one victim in France. "But he belatedly inherited the management of the coronavirus epidemic which is about to break out in France," emphasizes Jocelyn Raude. It comes at a time when it is already too late for certain decisions that should have been made earlier, whether it be the stock of masks or the screening capabilities. This lack of anticipation cannot be completely made up, and this is how France was behind from the start a train behind other countries such as Germany, which very early on put its package on its screening capacities. , when here, we quickly came close to the shortage of reagents and swabs, not allowing massive screening by PCR as recommended by the WHO ”.
Hiccups in its management of the health crisis
This delay in ignition, Olivier Véran tries to catch up, in vain. On March 21, during a press briefing, "and while we are already in shortage and city doctors do not have masks to face the epidemic and receive the sick in their office, Olivier Véran announces ordering 250 million masks, says Dr Jérôme Marty. An order whose delivery is then scheduled for June, it is not serious! And it is all the less so since Jérôme Salomon and he worked for Marisol Touraine when she was Minister of Health. The insufficient state of mask stocks, he knew it ”.
This same March 21, when the State has all the trouble in the world to provide masks to its caregivers, and when the question arises of the interest of wearing the mask in population, Olivier Véran assures him, "a person who walks in the street, to go shopping, does not need to wear a mask ”. A position then defended by the whole of the government and on which Olivier Véran will backtrack a few weeks later. "He's a good minister for scarcity," says Professor Philippe Juvin, Chief of Emergency at Pompidou Hospital and mayor LR of La Garenne-Colombes , to L'Obs . Fervent defender of the wearing of the mask by the population, the doctor questions the crisis management of the Minister of Health.
Affected by a complaint
"I understand that he occupies a particularly difficult position, he found himself in an unprecedented health crisis," admits Dr. Marty. But he promised FFP2 masks to city doctors who never arrived. From the end of February, they took care of the Covid-19 patients. However, due to the lack of masks, some general practitioners have eaten viral load for days on end, without protection, and have ended up developing serious forms which have cost them their lives. The pharmacists no longer had any mask to deliver to us. And the endowment of three surgical masks per day and per doctor announced by Véran arrived too late and was not enough. Result: liberal medicine paid a heavy price, more than thirty general practitioners died from the coronavirus.
In mourning, liberal medicine waits for the government to account to it. Three doctors who are members of the C19 collective, supported by more than 600 health personnel, have filed a complaint against Olivier Véran and seized the Court of Justice of the Republic, the only body empowered to judge acts committed by members of the French government in the exercise of their functions. "The government has not yet presented evidence of orders or contracts for the necessary equipment" protection, starting with masks, said their lawyer, Me Fabrice Di Vizio. These three doctors also lodged a complaint against Agnès Buzyn and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, for having "refrained" from taking timely measures to stem the epidemic. "Olivier Véran inherited the errors of the health authorities and the government on the masks, even if he too changed his discourse on the subject, recognizes Jocelyn Raude. But Agnes Buzyn gave up her place at a really critical time. I really think you have to be lenient with him. He was not unworthy ”.
A popular minister who is likely to stay
Should the first round of municipal elections be maintained? Could we have gotten masks when needed and as many as needed? Have we been too confined? Have we been slow to deconfinate? Throughout the health crisis, the choices of the executive were the subject of strong criticism. To the point for Emmanuel Macron to see his popularity rating unscrew, when at the same time, that of his head of government Edouard Philippe - perceived as the commander in charge of this unprecedented health crisis - has climbed. A situation which would therefore push the Head of State to work on a broad ministerial reshuffle. The Matignon tenant could be sacked for good in his Le Havre penates. Just like the walker from the start, Christophe Castaner, who could soon empty his office on Place Beauvau.
Olivier Véran, he would not have too much to worry about. "He is a very good communicator, he is affable, has a calm speech, is a very good speaker and teacher, believes the specialist in emerging infectious diseases Jocelyn Raude. He knew how to be cautious, calm and clear, without being peremptory ”. Thus, according to an influential member of parliament quoted by Le JDD , there is no doubt that her retention in government "is obvious". “He demonstrated his technical skills, he knows how to speak to the French, with pedagogy and without any arrogance. It has a political meaning. This is clearly an asset. "
A popularity confirmed by polls, since 41% of French people have a favorable opinion of Olivier Véran, according to the Ifop-Fiducial barometer for Paris Match and Sud Radio in June. "He burst the screen," says Frédéric Dabi, deputy director general of Ifop. He successfully integrated into government and is now the most popular third minister behind Bruno Le Maire and Jean-Yves Le Drian. And the fact that he replaced Agnès Buzyn at short notice does not penalize him. For many French people, he did the job during the crisis ".
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An envelope of 6 billion euros?
While the "Ségur de la santé" has been launched for a month, Olivier Véran unveiled on Wednesday the envelope planned for the salary increases of caregivers. It would be 6 billion euros, to be shared between hospitals and public nursing homes, but also partly with the private sector. That would be done without counting the doctors, who are the subject of parallel negotiations.
These 6 billion would include a general increase in the salaries of public service employees in hospitals (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.), a redesign of premiums, and targeted increases in certain professions, according to several sources.
- Emmanuel Macron
- Government
- Covid 19
- Coronavirus
- Olivier Véran
- Health