“Véran to demote, it’s a surprise”… What the Borne government says

• A few surprises, without too many upheavals, the new government of Elisabeth Borne was finally announced this Friday afternoon.

• 20 Minutes

  paints a first picture of the promises of the new government with Bruno Caustrès, researcher at CNRS and Cevipof.

After four days of suspense, the secretary general of the Elysée Alexis Kohler finally made his entrance on the steps of the presidential palace, this Friday, to announce the names of the new ministers.

Between continuity and surprises, what should we expect and retain from the Borne government?

takes stock with Bruno Caustrès, researcher at CNRS and Cevipof.

Despite a few exceptions, this new government does not display any major surprises.

It's even more of a game of musical chairs between loyal macronists, isn't it?

It is true that among the announced ministers, more than half come from the previous team.

We see that the macronist hinge from the start remains in place and in particular with emblematic figures who remain in their posts, in particular Bruno Le Maire at the Ministry of Economy and Finance [to which we add digital sovereignty], or Gérald Darmanin at Interior.

We also see iconic figures since 2017 staying, even if they are moved to different positions.

I am thinking in particular of Sébastien Lecornu [Minister for the Armed Forces], Olivier Dussopt [Minister of Labour], Amélie de Montchalin [Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion], Olivier Véran [Delegate Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament], Gabriel Attal [Budget Minister], etc.

Should we still see a hand extended to the left, with the appointment of some socialist figures?

This is indeed part of the elements of innovation that are not at all uninteresting to observe.

There are undoubtedly signals sent to the left with several personalities who were already in place, but who are gaining key positions.

This is the case of Olivier Dussopt who as Minister of Labor will have to manage pensions;

or even Brigitte Bourguignon who arrives at Health in place of Olivier Véran.

In the end, we see that the left/right parity is more or less respected.

However, the biggest ministries remain from the centre-right, rather than the centre-left.

The big surprise is finally the appointment of Pap Ndiaye who replaces Jean-Michel Blanquer at National Education.

They are almost the only ones coming from civil society, is that a good message for teachers?

We note in fact that the two posts concerning Education were given to professionals: Pap Ndiaye, historian and university professor at Sciences Po, who clearly comes from the ranks of the left, was appointed Minister of National Education and Youth and Sylvie Retailleau, a high-level physicist and director of the University of Paris-Saclay, takes over the Ministry of Research.

This reminds us that these two ministries are very important in the eyes of Emmanuel Macron, who sees education and training as central parts of his software.

However, these two ministries have been the scene of many controversies orchestrated by Jean-Michel Blanquer and Frédérique Vidal.

Was it a bit of ministries to save in the end?

Indeed, if we take the case of National Education, there will undoubtedly be a contrast effect between Jean-Michel Blanquer and Pap Ndiaye.

The former minister was a bit out of his field on certain topics, especially during the controversy over wokism.

On the contrary, Pap Ndiaye, author of remarkable books on the black condition will undoubtedly embody something very different.

The big surprise is also the post given to Olivier Véran who is demoted to the rank of Minister Delegate in charge of Relations with Parliament and Democratic Life.

However, his position is rather new.

What should we expect for this wallet?

It is true that I expected to see the question of Emmanuel Macron's new method of government being embodied in more new ministries.

Basically, it is only for Olivier Véran that we see a significant change.

It is one of my surprises to see him demoted, he is now only deputy minister when he was an emblematic minister of Covid-19, the French know him.

However, "democratic life" can be a very important point since it is the field of public action where Emmanuel Macron's first term has remained on

in relation to the announced ambitions.

Olivier Véran in democratic life will have to manage the reforms of voting methods or the question of restoring confidence in political life.

The entry of Republican Damien Abad was widely expected, but no one imagined him as Minister of Solidarity, Autonomy and People with Disabilities.

What message does that leave?

Damien Abad recovers a theme and a title of ministry which, in my opinion, is a subject that he knows very well.

It shows that this is the type of case on which he has great sensitivity.

At the same time, it allows him to send a message to his former political family, the Republicans.

This will allow him to undoubtedly mitigate the barrage of part of the LR who will cry treason, under a government mission of which he knows the subject.

We will have to see what we will put behind solidarity.

Is it the fight against exclusion, against poverty?

If it's solidarity in the strong sense of the term, it could become a very important position in government.

Policy

Borne Government: The winners, the losers, the surprises… We have summarized the new government for you

Policy

Government Borne: Surprise, historian Pap Ndiaye arrives at National Education

A civil society less and less present

If he admits that this new composition is "a government of continuity", political scientist Roland Cayrol believes that the logic of inviting civil society to the government is now a thing of the past.

“Here, Macron wanted to play with the experience gained.

We are no longer in 2017, experience counts now and some have even been able to display their skills on certain files since then.

From this point of view, we understand that there is more continuity from a president who has learned to govern with his political staff, ”explains the political scientist.

• Elisabeth Borne

• Emmanuel Macron

• Minister

• Prime Minister

• Olivier Veran