Edouard Philippe presented his resignation this Friday morning. Appointed May 15, 2017 Prime Minister of a president whom he had met only “three times before the first round” of the presidential election of 2017, Edouard Philippe, then 46 years old, was almost unknown to the general public .
Mayor of Le Havre and relentless support of his mentor Alain Juppé during the primary of the right in 2016, he had then humorously described the "panic fear" that had gripped him the days before his arrival at the head of the government, he who had never exercised leading responsibility.
"Conductor"
From this daring bet, Edouard Philippe claims to have drawn an unshakable loyalty and claims a wise reading of the division of tasks at the top of the executive couple. Surrounded by a close guard juppeist, he established himself as a "conductor" responsible for making "play together" his ministers.
"For the past three years with me, he has been doing remarkable work with successive governments," said Emmanuel Macron in an interview with the regional press. We have carried out important, historic reforms, often in very difficult circumstances. We have a relationship of trust which is from a certain point of view unique on the scale of the Fifth Republic ”. In the end, Edouard Philippe will have stayed 1,145 days in Matignon, which places him in 8th place in terms of longevity under the Fifth Republic, between Pierre Mauroy and Jean-Pierre Raffarin. Back on the most significant stages of his mandate as Prime Minister.
Notre-Dame-des-Landes
On January 17, 2018, after years of controversy, the government announced the abandonment of the airport project at Notre-Dame-des-Landes in favor of a redevelopment of Nantes airport.
On April 9, the police began the expulsion of some 200 "Zadists" who had come to defend this hedged farmland with unique biodiversity. 2,500 mobile gendarmes intervened, destroying habitats, a student with his hand torn off while picking up a grenade.
SNCF reform
On February 26, 2018, Edouard Philippe announced the adoption by ordinances "before the summer" of a vast reform of the SNCF. Despite unprecedented unitary mobilization for 30 years, the law was promulgated on June 27: transformation of the SNCF into a public limited company and end of railway worker status for new hires.
Surprise departures from two government heavyweights
On August 28, 2018, Nicolas Hulot announced live on the radio that he was leaving the government, highlighting the lack of executive support on ecological issues. It is a snub for Edouard Philippe who was not warned.
The Minister of the Interior Gérard Collomb resigned at the beginning of October to prepare his candidacy for the mayor of Lyon and Edouard Philippe must take over the interim until the reshuffle of October 16.
"Yellow vests"
On November 17, 2018, 280,000 "yellow vests" began a large protest against an expected increase in fuel prices through, in particular, the carbon tax and the limitation to 80 km / h on certain roads, defended by the Prime Minister to the President. Marked by rallies on roundabouts, with no known leader, the movement hardens over the days.
In early December, after demonstrations every Saturday and scenes of urban guerrilla warfare during a movement still supported by more than 70% of the French, Edouard Philippe must renounce the announced increase in fuel taxes. Its popularity rating is then at its lowest.
The movement marks a renewed mobilization on January 5, 2019 when demonstrators force with a construction machine the entrance to the ministry of Benjamin Griveaux, then government spokesperson. On March 16, an outbreak of violence on the Champs-Elysées cost his post to the prefect of Paris.
Emmanuel Macron launches a "great national debate", then announces on April 25 measures that bring the total aid to 17 billion euros, including five of lower income tax.
Pension reform
On December 5, 2019, between 806,000 and 1.5 million people demonstrated against the controversial plan for a "universal" point pension plan and the end of special plans.
A massive strike begins at SNCF and RATP.
On the 11th, Edouard Philippe clarified the contours of the reform without calming the sling. Supporter of an age measure, he alienated the CFDT, yet favorable to a retirement by points, which switches to the camp of opponents.
On the 16th, Jean-Paul Delevoye, in charge of the government file, resigned after revelations about undeclared activities.
During his vows, Emmanuel Macron urges the government to "find a rapid compromise" with the unions, a few days from the record for the longest continuous strike in transport for over 30 years.
In February 2020, the use of 49-3 decided by Edouard Philippe to have the reform adopted without a vote was criticized by the opposition. But the Covid-19 pandemic freezes reform.
Coronavirus crisis
The coronavirus health crisis propels Edouard Philippe to the front line. While the government, faced with an initial shortage of masks and tests, is accused of mismanaging the crisis, it first argues that masks are useless for the entire population, before acknowledging their need. Then displaying a pedagogical and modest tone to expose the directions of the executive during the strict confinement decided on March 17, he saw his popularity rating soar, to the point of exceeding that of the president: it stood at the end of June at 51 % of positive judgments, against 44% for Emmanuel Macron, according to a Harris Interactive poll.
And now ?
By leaving Matignon at a peak of popularity, driven by an electoral success in Le Havre (59% of the votes) and an index of satisfaction close to the state of grace of the beginnings, Edouard Philippe does he aspire to establish himself as a possible recourse for a center-right electorate for the presidential election of 2022? Officially, the one who will be formally installed mayor this Sunday at 10 am during the municipal council in his stronghold of Le Havre, refrains from nourishing any ambition.
In February 2019, he claimed that he knew "very well" what he would do after Matignon, "and that it will not have much to do with politics." "He is not going to seek a higher ambition", assures AFP one of his friends. "He will do (...) something related to writing, more intellectual, different", continues the same.
But, at 49, could he give up weighing nationally? "He remains one of the pillars of our majority," wants to believe MEP Stéphane Séjourné. At the Elysée, it is assured that Edouard Philippe and Emmanuel Macron will continue to work together: "" Edouard Philippe will help the President to politically structure the majority ", according to a source cited by Europe 1.
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- Emmanuel Macron
- Prime Minister
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