Emmanuel Macron will renew part of his Elysée team with the departures of his special advisor Philippe Grangeon and, according to his entourage, of his communications advisor Joseph Zimet, which are in addition to other changes linked to the new government. At the head of communications, Joseph Zimet could be replaced by Clément Leonarduzzi, president of Publicis Consultants, according to corroborating sources. No announcement has yet been made by the Presidency.
Special advisor Philippe Grangeon will retire
An influential Macronie figure, Philippe Grangeon has confirmed that he will leave his post in mid-September to "retire". "There is no political interpretation" in this decision, "it is a choice of life" and "it was clear from the start that I was joining the Elysee Palace for a given time and on a voluntary basis," he said. he explained to AFP. "After eighteen particularly intense months" to advise Emmanuel Macron, "I will continue to contribute as much as possible to the success of the presidential project," he added, indicating that he did not know what form this commitment could take.
This former head of the CFDT and then of En Marche from its creation, Philippe Grangeon was tasked at the beginning of 2019 to help, with his experience, Emmanuel Macron to launch "act 2" of his five-year term on the occasion of the "great debate "following the crisis of" yellow vests ".
From change to communication too
A few months later, in August 2019, Joseph Zimet had in turn joined the Elysee to take responsibility for communication after the departure of Sibeth Ndiaye, who became government spokesperson. This historian, who had coordinated the Centenary Mission of the First World War, had for mission to reweave relations with journalists, previously strained. He could be replaced by Clément Leonarduzzi, President of Publicis Consultants, Influence branch of the Publicis group and specialist in crisis management. The latter met Emmanuel Macron about ten years ago when he was responsible for the communication of the Gracques, a reformist think tank located to the right of the PS, which the president frequented.
"Emmanuel Macron wants to equip himself with a commando team at the Elysee Palace, responsible for delivering results, improving the readability and narrative of public action and preparing the 2022 campaign," comments a government source. In the entourage of the president, also recently left the chief of staff François-Xavier Lauch, who became deputy chief of staff of Gérald Darmanin at the Ministry of the Interior, and the adviser Jean Gaborit, appointed chief of staff of the Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti.