The ax fell for Nathalie Elimas who is the subject of an administrative investigation into the functioning of her cabinet after accusations of moral harassment.

The Secretary of State to the Minister of National Education, Youth and Sports, who was in charge of Priority Education, is leaving the government, the Élysée announced on Saturday March 5.

“On the proposal of the Prime Minister, the President of the Republic put an end, on (his) request, to the functions of” Nathalie Elimas.

Aged 48, she entered the government in July 2020 after being elected in 2017 as a MoDem deputy (presidential majority) for Val-d'Oise.

In mid-February, according to Europe 1, an internal pre-report had been submitted to Jean Castex.

His conclusions "are terrible" for Nathalie Elimas, directly implicated, according to a source from the Elysee Palace quoted by the radio.

The Prime Minister had spoken with the Secretary of State to "ask her for an explanation" and Nathalie Elimas had then "refused the option" of leaving the government.

Facts of "mistreatment" deplored

Two sources interviewed by AFP had confirmed that the testimonies targeting Nathalie Elimas were "concordant" but also "serious" and "overwhelming".

Several sources had also indicated that Nathalie Elimas was accused of acts of “harassment”, even of “abuse”, on collaborators.

Half a dozen people would be victims, according to two people who worked in the office of this human resources specialist.

The Secretary of State then denounced an “attack of great violence, in a personal capacity”.

It's "very hard, very violent, the violence is unheard of for my children, but basically I'm calm," she said in mid-February on Radio J. "What's happening today is extremely malicious leaks, probably to destabilize me. Defamation is characterized."

Jacqueline Gourault is also leaving her post 

Another departure from the government was announced on Saturday for a very different reason: that of the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Jacqueline Gourault.

Proposed by Emmanuel Macron to sit on the Constitutional Council, the former senator was confirmed by Parliament at the end of February, even if the opposition criticized her lack of legal training.

She will join the institution on Monday and will be replaced by Joël Giraud who until now was Secretary of State in charge of rurality.

With AFP

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